AfD co-chair Tino Chrupalla said on 4 July that his party is already in contact with the Bündnis Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW) and is prepared for direct talks with its founder, Sahra Wagenknecht. Speaking on Welt-TV, he described the exchanges as discussions about "what moves Germany and how to change majorities" and called the dialogue "lived democracy." Wagenknecht confirmed there are no formal negotiations at federal level but told several media outlets she would "of course" meet Chrupalla when a concrete issue arises. She argued that the so-called Brandmauer— the refusal of established parties to engage with the AfD— is undemocratic and has only boosted the far-right party, which currently polls at about 23 percent. The federal overtures follow a two-hour session this week between BSW parliamentary leader Frank Augsten and AfD state boss Björn Höcke in the Thuringian Landtag. Both sides described the meeting as constructive and indicated they may seek flexible, issue-based voting alliances after months of deadlock over judicial panel appointments in Erfurt. A formal partnership could redraw political arithmetic in eastern states. In Thuringia the two parties already command a notional majority, and elections in Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in 2026 could see similar constellations if cooperation expands. Rival parties reacted sharply. CDU deputy Bundestag leader Sepp Müller warned of an "unholy alliance," while Green parliamentary manager Irene Mihalic said nationalism and Putin-sympathy formed a common thread between AfD and BSW. The domestic intelligence service continues to label the AfD a "confirmed right-wing extremist" organisation.