Sahra Wagenknecht party to remove founder's name from its title

The German party "Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance" (BSW) will officially change its name effective October 1. Her name will disappear from the full designation of the political force, but the familiar abbreviation BSW will be retained.

Der Spiegel reports this.

The new official party name — "Bündnis Soziale Gerechtigkeit und Wirtschaftliche Vernunft", which can be translated as "Alliance for Social Justice and Economic Prudence". The first letters of the name allow the party to continue using the abbreviation BSW.

The decision to rename was taken at the party's federal congress in Magdeburg in December 2025. A majority of delegates supported abandoning the personalized name. The change was decided to be introduced exactly on October 1, 2026, to avoid rebranding during the state election campaigns planned for this year.

BSW's regional structures have also begun in recent months to bring their statutes in line with the new federal name.

The party was founded in early 2024 around Sahra Wagenknecht after her departure from the Left Party. The use of the founder's name was initially explained by the need to make the new political force recognizable.

In December 2025, Wagenknecht also stepped down as co-chair of BSW. The new leaders are MEP Fabio De Masi and Amira Mohamed Ali. At the same time, Wagenknecht remained in the party and headed a commission dealing with its basic political principles.

BSW opposes, in particular, the delivery of German weapons to Ukraine and is critical of part of the sanctions policy of Germany and the EU towards Russia. These positions have repeatedly been the subject of political controversy in Germany.

Thus, from October 1, the designation BSW will no longer be expanded through the name of Sahra Wagenknecht, although the abbreviation itself, the logo and the political brand of the party will be retained.

Based on materials from: Der Spiegel, BSW, BR24