Sahra Wagenknecht’s alliance narrowly missed a Bundestag seat by just 0.03 percentage points, sparking frustration and a lack of accountability from her. Despite acknowledging the defeat, she shifts blame to external factors, including media and polling data, while her supporters cling to the narrative of victimization. Questions arise about her leadership and campaign strategy, as expectations for the new party were high, yet the results fell short, raising doubts about her role in the outcome.
The Sahra Wagenknecht alliance is just 0.03 percentage points shy of securing a seat in the Bundestag, leaving a wave of frustration in its wake. But who bears the responsibility for this setback? Interestingly, Wagenknecht doesn’t seem to hold herself accountable.
As Sahra Wagenknecht makes her way into the House of the Federal Press Conference in Berlin, she finds herself overshadowed by the media frenzy surrounding Alice Weidel, the AfD leader and one of the election’s notable winners. While the cameras and reporters swarm Weidel, Wagenknecht stands off to the side, waiting for her turn to address the press, largely unnoticed.
Once inside, she acknowledges her alliance’s defeat but deflects any introspection regarding its causes. Her conclusion is clear: the failure lies with others, leading her to dismiss any personal ramifications. Prior to the election, she asserted that without representation in the Bundestag, one is insignificant in German politics. By her own logic, this means she and her alliance are now deemed irrelevant.
Just 0.028 Percentage Points Short of Victory
Hope flickered for the party during the vote counting that evening. Initially projected at only 4.7 percent at 6 PM, the atmosphere at the election party in the historic Kosmos cinema on Berlin’s Karl-Marx-Allee was subdued. However, as more electoral districts were reported, the Sahra Wagenknecht alliance began to inch closer to the crucial five percent threshold. Just before midnight, the possibility of entering the Bundestag seemed within reach, yet in the end, they fell short by a mere 0.028 percentage points—equivalent to less than 14,000 votes.
So, has Wagenknecht’s initiative failed? Her defiant stance suggests otherwise. She refuses to concede to media pressures by announcing her resignation. Her declaration of “now more than ever” quickly morphs into a broad critique of the media, polling organizations, and her party’s involvement in the state governments of Thuringia and Brandenburg—an alliance she has always viewed skeptically.
The preliminary results of the Bundestag election show the Union leading with 28.52 percent.
Wagenknecht’s Skepticism Towards Polling Data
Wagenknecht’s search for a scapegoat for her defeat began long before election day. Throughout the campaign, she faced disappointing polling numbers, which she frequently questioned during her public appearances. From a high of nine percent last summer, the alliance saw a decline below the five percent mark by January and February. Rather than viewing this as a sign of dwindling support, she interprets it as a coordinated effort by the media and political opponents to marginalize the BSW. This narrative resonates with her supporters, who remain optimistic about the party’s chances.
Instead of wallowing in defeat the following morning, Wagenknecht and her loyal followers are keen to perpetuate the narrative of external blame. BSW Member of the European Parliament Fabio De Masi took to social media to lament that many Germans living abroad did not receive their postal ballots in time, suggesting that this hindered the party’s chances. He firmly believes that had they voted, the BSW would have succeeded.
Joining De Masi, Wagenknecht’s co-chair Amira Mohamed Ali announced intentions to pursue legal action, citing misleading polling data that appeared on social media platforms on election day. These figures suggested the BSW was significantly trailing below five percent, likely deterring potential voters disheartened by low prospects.
Unanswered Questions and High Expectations
What remains conspicuously absent from Wagenknecht’s analysis is any reflection on her own role in the election’s outcome. The party bears her name, and her image is prominently featured on nearly every BSW campaign poster. Were her nine campaign appearances, mostly in outlying areas, truly sufficient? Did the party struggle to garner more supporters due to the slow growth she has advocated? Furthermore, was it wise to align with the Union and AfD on a contentious migration proposal that ultimately yielded no real solutions but sparked public protests?
Wagenknecht accurately notes that the BSW is a nascent party, facing the daunting task of contesting a Bundestag election just a year after its inception. The AfD also faced challenges in their initial attempts to enter parliament. Indeed, the BSW secured more votes in absolute terms compared to the European elections—albeit only slightly over 12,000 additional votes. However, the expectations set were high, and the party fell short of meeting them in this election, a reality that also reflects on Wagenknecht.
This report was covered by BR24 on February 24, 2025, at 7:06 PM.