The CDU, BSW and SPD in Thuringia have completed the exploration for a blackberry coalition, and the first projects have been decided. But the Wagenknecht party initially sets the signal to yellow.
The CDU, BSW and SPD in Thuringia have come closer politically in exploratory rounds – but the three parties still have to resolve a controversial issue before possible coalition negotiations. BSW regional director Katja Wolf put the “signal on yellow,” as she said, on Friday evening after a board meeting in Erfurt. Without clarity on the peace issue, there is currently no entry into coalition negotiations with the BSW. The peace issue is the sticking point “despite all the joy about what has been achieved in the exploratory paper”, which bears the signature of the BSW in important points such as internal security and social justice and was unanimously approved by the board.
The CDU, which wants to appoint the next Prime Minister with its party leader Mario Voigt, unanimously cleared the way for negotiations for a blackberry coalition. The SPD board will meet in Erfurt on Saturday.
Renegotiations required
“We will ask the CDU and SPD to renegotiate as quickly as possible,” said Wolf. The BSW will present a wording proposal for a passage in the preamble of a possible coalition agreement, announced the co-state chairman Steffen Schütz. It’s about more diplomacy to end the war in Ukraine and a no to stationing US medium-range missiles in Germany. He is confident that there will be an agreement with the other two parties. CDU leader Voigt promised talks on the peace issue for the preamble to a possible coalition agreement – probably at the beginning of next week. “That can be the next step. I’m optimistic about it.”
Wolf denied that party founder Sahra Wagenknecht influenced the decision in Erfurt. “We are in close contact with Berlin.” Of course, this particularly affects the peace issue, she also said. In the end, the decision will be made in Thuringia after consultations with Berlin. Party founder Wagenknecht has repeatedly insisted that possible new coalition governments in Thuringia, Saxony and Brandenburg commit to more diplomatic efforts and against US weapons stationing if the BSW is involved.
Agreement on Thuringian issues
What is important for further negotiations is the agreement on the exploratory paper, which was unanimously approved by both his party and the BSW, said Voigt. The focus was initially on Thuringian issues. “We are clear on the issues.” But Voigt also said that some in the CDU had concerns about the role of BSW founder Sahra Wagenknecht “and her federal political perspective.”
Despite the lack of a majority in the state parliament, the three parties do not want to conclude a toleration or toleration agreement with the Left. The parliamentary managing director of the CDU parliamentary group, Andreas Bühl, said that a new consultation model should be tested in the state parliament in order to achieve majorities. The approach is a consultation process with all five parliamentary groups in the state parliament, including the Left and the AfD. An agreement with the Left, which provided Bodo Ramelow as Prime Minister in Thuringia for ten years, is not necessary. The left criticized the proposal.
If necessary, legislative initiatives will be buried
According to Bühl, in the planned consultation process, all parliamentary groups should be able to express their opinion on key points of planned laws or proposals from the possible three-party coalition within a deadline. Depending on the result, the government will decide whether to continue pursuing its plans in the state parliament or bury them. This procedure also respects the will of the voters, which has created difficult majority conditions, said Bühl. All three partners in a possible blackberry coalition once again ruled out collaboration with the Thuringian AfD and its right winger Björn Höcke.
Free after-school care should come
The three parties agree on a whole range of projects that will be specified in possible coalition negotiations. The vice-chairwoman of the SPD, Katharina Schenk, mentioned, among other things, the introduction of relief for parents from after-school care fees for school children and free school meals. In addition, ways to introduce a state care allowance or a care salary for caring relatives should be examined. The three parties agree to adhere to the debt brake, but to give themselves scope for more investments by extending the time of debt repayment.
Stalemate in the Thuringian state parliament
The possible new government alliance, which wants to replace the red-red-green government of Prime Minister Bodo Ramelow (Left), does not have a majority in the state parliament. It has 44 of 88 seats in the Thuringian parliament. The stalemate can only be resolved with at least one vote from the opposition. For the first time, the AfD is the strongest faction in a federal state.
Source: Stern
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