Sahra Wagenknecht has called for the resignation of the federal government. The coalition led by Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) and Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil (SPD) has been in office for one year, and the BSW founder stated that the public should not have to endure a second period of instability. She argued that the policies implemented by Merz and Klingbeil are not backed by the voters and are actively damaging the country and its people.
Wagenknecht criticized Merz directly, asserting that regarding both competence and popularity, he falls short of his predecessor, Olaf Scholz (SPD). She noted that the Chancellor’s approval ratings have recently hit a low point. Former BSW leader Wagenknecht concluded that ending this “stuck” coalition is the best course of action for Germany before the harm done cannot be rectified.
Instead of a continued governmental structure, Wagenknecht outlined a “new path for democracy”. She proposed a cabinet comprised of competent, citizen-oriented experts. This governing body, she suggested, would secure its majority interests independently within the parliament, without belonging to any single existing party faction. Wagenknecht argues that adopting such a model should be called a “Citizen Government” as it offers the highest chance for the true will of the general electorate to influence political policy.
For context, Wagenknecht’s party narrowly missed the 5% electoral threshold in the Bundestag election held in February 2025. Furthermore, in February 2026, the party filed a lawsuit with the Constitutional Court in Karlsruhe, requesting a re-count of the votes.
