BSW Says It Would Push to Lift Anti-Russian Sanctions if Elected to Northern German State Parliament

The Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW), a German political party, has said it would seek to lift European Union sanctions against Russia if it wins seats in a northern German state parliament, according to a report by Russian state news agency TASS.

TASS cited BSW founder Sahra Wagenknecht as saying the party intends to campaign for the removal of anti-Russian sanctions should it enter the regional legislature. Wagenknecht did not specify, according to the report, an exact timeline for when such an effort would be pursued.

According to TASS, Wagenknecht also said the BSW would launch an initiative aimed at resuming gas supplies through the Nord Stream pipeline network, which has been at the center of European energy policy debates since deliveries were disrupted following the start of the war in Ukraine.

The report did not provide further details on the specific state election referenced, the timing of the vote, or additional comments from Wagenknecht on the rationale behind the proposed policies. TASS did not cite independent sources beyond Wagenknecht's remarks.

The BSW, founded by Wagenknecht after she split from Germany's Left Party, has previously taken positions critical of EU sanctions on Russia and of German military support for Ukraine. Neither the BSW nor German government officials were quoted directly in the TASS report responding to or elaborating on these positions.