Politics · Germany · 1 hr ago
Klaus Ernst threatens to leave BSW over its ties with AfD
Klaus Ernst, a member of the BSW’s national board and until recently a co-leader of its branch in Bavaria, says he may leave the party.
He wants the BSW to clearly distance itself from the AfD, a party on the German right.
Ernst says the BSW is moving to the right and that this conflicts with the principles on which it was founded.
The dispute has intensified after the BSW in Saxony-Anhalt said it would vote for AfD politician Tobias Rausch to become the state parliament’s president, and helped him win the post.
BSW politicians also attended an event hosted by the right-wing magazine Compact, where AfD politicians were present.
Ernst says the party should not help the AfD gain office or responsibility when that can be avoided.
He says whether he stays in the BSW depends on the party clarifying its relationship with the AfD.
Klaus Ernst has threatened to leave the BSW unless it clarifies its relationship with the AfD.
He called the party’s shift to the right unacceptable and said it contradicted its founding consensus.
The dispute follows the BSW’s support for AfD politician Tobias Rausch as state parliament president in Saxony-Anhalt.
Ernst also criticized BSW politicians for attending an event hosted by the right-wing magazine Compact.
- Who
- Klaus Ernst, a BSW federal board member and former co-leader of the party in Bavaria.
- What
- He threatened to leave the BSW unless it clearly distances itself from the AfD.
- When
- He made the statements reported on October 12, 2026.
- Where
- The dispute centers on the BSW’s actions in Saxony-Anhalt and an event in Magdeburg.
- Why
- Ernst objects to the BSW’s support for an AfD politician’s appointment and to BSW politicians attending a Compact event.
Klaus Ernst
BSW
Relationship with the AfD
Klaus Ernst
Ernst says the party must clearly distance itself from the AfD and must not help it gain positions or responsibility where that can be prevented.
BSW
The BSW announced it would vote for AfD politician Tobias Rausch as state parliament president in Saxony-Anhalt.
Compact event
Klaus Ernst
Ernst said BSW politicians meeting at the magazine’s premises went far beyond voting for motions and could lead to departures.
BSW
BSW politicians attended a Compact event in Magdeburg that also had AfD politicians as guests.
The gradual shift of the BSW's course to the right is unacceptable and contradicts the party's founding consensus.
A membership in the BSW depends for me on clarifying the relationship with the AfD.
The BSW must not help the AfD into offices and positions of responsibility if that can be prevented.
That the BSW parliamentary group in Saxony-Anhalt meets for social gatherings in the rooms of the far-right magazine Compact is something I can no longer explain to anyone and leads to departures.
Ernst joined the BSW after previously being a member of the Left Party.
The BSW supported AfD politician Tobias Rausch’s appointment as state parliament president.
BSW politicians attended a Compact event where AfD politicians were also guests.
Ernst’s threat to leave the BSW and his criticism of its relationship with the AfD were reported.
- Klaus Ernst
- BSW federal board member and former co-leader in Bavaria
- Party membership
- Joined the BSW in 2023
- State parliament president
- Tobias Rausch, an AfD politician, was supported by the BSW in Saxony-Anhalt
- Event
- BSW politicians attended a Compact event in Magdeburg
- Publication date
- October 12, 2026
Sources
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