Politics · Germany · 13 hrs ago
BSW lawmakers regret dinner with AfD figures in Saxony-Anhalt
All five lawmakers in the BSW group in Saxony-Anhalt attended the opening of a television studio run by Compact in Magdeburg on October 8.
AfD figures were among the guests, and photos showed them sharing a dinner with the BSW lawmakers.
BSW deputy group leader Claudia Wittig said staying for the meal was unwise and that it would not happen again.
She continued to defend speaking with the AfD in parliament to seek support for policies.
BSW founder Sahra Wagenknecht said such talks were right but shared dinners were unacceptable.
Compact has promoted the AfD, and a ban imposed on the magazine in 2024 was overturned by a court the following year.
The dinner has prompted criticism within the BSW, while Wittig says the group will continue parliamentary contacts with all parties.
All five members of Saxony-Anhalt’s BSW parliamentary group attended the opening of the Compact TV studio on October 8, where AfD figures were also present.
Deputy group leader Claudia Wittig called staying for dinner with AfD representatives a mistake and said the group regretted it.
BSW founder Sahra Wagenknecht said talks with all parties in the state parliament were appropriate but shared dinners were not.
Wittig continued to defend contact with the AfD in the state parliament, saying the photos gave a false impression of political closeness.
- Who
- All five members of the BSW parliamentary group in Saxony-Anhalt attended, including Claudia Wittig. AfD figures Tobias Rausch and Oliver Kirchner were among the other guests.
- What
- BSW lawmakers attended the Compact TV studio opening and a dinner with AfD representatives. Wittig later called staying for dinner a mistake.
- When
- The studio opening took place on October 8. Wittig’s statement was reported on October 11.
- Where
- At the opening of the Compact TV studio in Magdeburg, Saxony-Anhalt.
- Why
- The sources do not state why the BSW lawmakers attended the dinner.
Sahra Wagenknecht
Claudia Wittig
Shared dinner with AfD figures
Sahra Wagenknecht
Wagenknecht said shared dinners were “completely out of line.
Claudia Wittig
Wittig said staying for dinner was unwise and regretted the mistake.
Contact with AfD representatives
Sahra Wagenknecht
Wagenknecht said it was right to talk with all parties represented in the state parliament.
Claudia Wittig
Wittig defended contact with all parties in the state parliament and said it would continue.
It was unwise to stay for the subsequent dinner too. We regret the mistake; something like this will not happen again.
Talking with all parties represented in the state parliament is right. Shared dinners are completely out of line.
The impression of political closeness conveyed by the photos is false. We talk with all parties represented in the state parliament and will continue to seek and use majorities for sensible positions.
We reject historical revisionism and völkisch ideology or the denigration of people with disabilities.
All five members of the BSW parliamentary group in Saxony-Anhalt attended the opening of the Compact TV studio, where AfD figures were also guests.
BSW federal chair Fabio De Masi criticized historical revisionism and völkisch ideology in a post on X.
Wittig defended people with different political views sharing a meal and a glass of wine in a post on X.
Wittig said staying for dinner was a mistake, and Wagenknecht criticized shared dinners with AfD figures.
- Date of studio opening
- October 8
- BSW lawmakers attending
- All five members of the Saxony-Anhalt parliamentary group
- BSW deputy group leader
- Claudia Wittig
- AfD guests named
- Tobias Rausch and Oliver Kirchner
- Location
- Magdeburg, Saxony-Anhalt
- Dinner response
- Wittig said the group regretted the mistake and that it would not happen again
Sources
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