Formation of a government in Thuringia: Opportunities for the Thuringian Blackberry Coalition are increasing

Thuringia’s Social Democrats, like the CDU before them, are paving the way for negotiations about a possible blackberry coalition with the Wagenknecht party BSW. They also decided to conduct a member survey when a coalition agreement is in place, as SPD leader Georg Maier said after a board meeting in Erfurt. The decisions were made by a large majority.

Maier expressed confidence that a compromise will also be found on peace policy. Thuringia’s BSW had made this a condition for the start of negotiations on a government coalition. Discussions on this are expected to take place next week, according to the SPD and CDU.

He was commissioned to lead the negotiations for the SPD, said Maier. “I believe in a compromise. It won’t be easy. But we have to look forward.” There have already been difficult moments in the exploratory negotiations, “but we have always found solutions.” The stationing of US missiles, which the BSW is against, is not possible under international law under the Two Plus Four Treaty in Thuringia.

“It’s about Thuringia, damn it!”

Maier admitted that the BSW demand came as a surprise “because we had agreed something different.” According to the exploratory paper, which is accepted by the three parties as the basis for coalition negotiations, a passage on peace policy was planned in the preamble to a coalition agreement. However, the controversial issue should only be discussed later.

But he doesn’t see the BSW board’s demand as an affront, said Maier. “You shouldn’t hang it higher than it is.” The SPD leader criticized BSW federal boss Sahra Wagenknecht. “I don’t think statements from outside are productive. It’s about Thuringia, damn it!” Maier spoke of cross shots from Berlin. He confirmed that the Thuringian BSW with its state chairwoman Katja Wolf acted in a goal-oriented and pragmatic manner.

BSW wants to have a say in Thuringia

BSW boss Wolf also expressed her willingness to compromise in an agreement with the CDU and SPD on her party’s peace policy demands. “The preamble is important – but it doesn’t come without compromises. It’s like a sour lemon that each of us will bite into and feel roughly the same pain,” Wolf told “Zeit online”.

Regarding the possible content of the passage, Wolf said: “The CDU and SPD would not be able to support the complete rejection of arms deliveries. But we speak out against the stationing of US medium-range missiles on Thuringian soil.”

BSW state chairwoman: “Ms Wagenknecht knows what makes me tick.”

The state and parliamentary group leader of the BSW once again made it clear that her party wants to co-govern Thuringia. “There is no alternative to a stable state government in Thuringia.” Federal Chairwoman Sahra Wagenknecht is also aware of this. “Ms. Wagenknecht knows what makes me tick.” She doesn’t see herself as the antipode to Wagenknecht, says Wolf.

They are both “simply on different playing fields” – Wagenknecht is focused on the federal election “and is worried that our pragmatic Thuringian style will destroy their campaign concept of a clear demarcation from other parties. But this worry is unfounded.”

The majority situation in the Thuringian state parliament is complicated after the election at the beginning of September. 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. The stalemate can only be resolved with at least one vote from the opposition. For the first time, the strongest faction in a federal state is the AfD, with right winger Björn Höcke at the helm.