New BSW leadership in MV: Two Peters want to be in the state parliament!

New BSW leadership in MV: Two Peters want to be in the state parliament!

In a striking step for the political landscape of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the Alliance Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW) has elected a new dual leadership. The state party conference, which took place in Malchin, brought a breath of fresh air into the party's leadership, and the new chairmen are already determined to take over the helm. Peter Langer, a 56-year-old chemistry professor from Rostock, and Peter Schabbel, a 58-year-old alternative practitioner and district council member in the Ludwigslust-Parchim district, are succeeding Friedrich Straetmanns and Melanie Dango, who withdrew for personal reasons after only holding the office for ten months ndr.de reports.

The election of the new leadership was fiercely contested, with both chairmen beating opposing candidates. While Melanie Dango emphasized in her farewell speech that the time has now come for new responsibility, the new duo Langer and Schabbel are focusing firmly on the challenges ahead. The BSW is at around seven percent in current surveys, a decrease from the 10.6 percent achieved in the federal election. So it is not surprising that the two chairmen dream of a closed election campaign and an entry into the state parliament with parliamentary group strength.

Strategic priorities

What topics are at the top of the new chair’s agenda? Langer and Schabbel send clear signals towards social justice and education. Langer particularly wants to promote business settlements and strengthen research and science, while Schabbel calls for a stronger say for the population and a new form of democracy. Their positions are not only locally relevant: Co-chair Amira Mohamed Ali joins them and speaks out clearly against military build-up. This critical attitude also includes conciliatory diplomacy towards Russia.

With the upcoming state elections in 2026, BSW wants to mobilize the voter base and is aiming for a result that is close to the 16.4 percent in the European elections in 2024. The new leadership duo brings valuable experience with them: Langer was previously active as an assessor on the state board, and Schabbel served as deputy chairman. The support of the federal association, especially of Amira Mohamed Ali, is seen as indispensable in order to secure the necessary support in the election campaign, as nordkurier.de emphasizes.

Outlook on the election and electoral successes

BSW, which was founded in January 2024 as a spinoff from Die Linke and subsequently has six members of the European Parliament, has proven to be a firmly established force in German politics. According to Wikipedia, the party has achieved significant successes in recent election cycles, such as the 2024 state elections, including in Saxony, where it became the third strongest force.

The new chairmen are aware that they have to deal with the challenges and responsibilities that lie ahead. Their messages on basic social rights, rent policy and a streamlined foreign policy are part of the broader agenda that aims to create a better life for all citizens. Now it is important for the new leadership to rally the voters behind them in order not only to be represented in the state parliament, but also to be heard - an ambitious undertaking that could significantly influence the political climate in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, as the Wikipedia page explains.