Exclusive: Thuringia
Left leader warns CDU against prime ministerial election with AfD votes
In Thuringia, CDU state leader Mario Voigt does not have a majority for election as head of government. There is a threat of maneuvers by the AfD – and the Left is making its approval subject to conditions.
Left leader Jan van Aken has warned against electing a Thuringian CDU prime minister with AfD votes. At the same time, he called on the Union to conclude a cooperation agreement with the Left at short notice.
“It is irresponsible and dangerous that the Thuringian CDU wants to go into the election for prime minister without a majority and without a firm agreement with the democratic opposition,” van Aken told the star. “It is up to CDU state chairman Mario Voigt not to be elected with the votes of the AfD.”
Voigt wants to face the election of the new Prime Minister in the Erfurt state parliament on Thursday. However, his planned coalition with the BSW and the SPD only has 44 of 88 votes in parliament.
The left demands fairness agreements
The other half of the MPs come from the AfD and the Left. This means that Voigt is dependent on at least one vote from the AfD or the Left in the first two rounds of voting – in which an absolute majority of at least 45 votes is required.
The Left is prepared to guarantee Voigt’s election, but in return demands a so-called fairness agreement with firm agreements on joint projects. The Thuringian CDU rejects the demand and refers to the federal party’s decision to demarcate itself from the Left and the AfD.
Instead, the “blackberry alliance” of the Union, BSW and SPD is relying on a new “consultation mechanism” set out in the coalition agreement. It stipulates that the opposition factions – and thus theoretically also the AfD – will also be involved in the legislative process during cabinet deliberations. This is not enough for the left.
What does Voigt do if the AfD is elected?
So far, the CDU has left it open whether Voigt will take office in the event of an election with the help of possible AfD votes. The vote in the state parliament is secret.
Van Aken called on the CDU state leader to show “responsibility now.” “44 votes from the CDU, BSW and SPD in the state parliament are not a majority,” he said. “I expect him to put his own interests aside and reach a stable agreement for five years with our party in Thuringia.”
The Left leader recalled that the Thuringian CDU, together with the AfD and FDP, elected the liberal Thomas Kemmerich as Prime Minister almost five years ago. Voigt then concluded a so-called stability pact with the red-red-green minority coalition and helped ensure that the leftist Bodo Ramelow returned to the prime minister’s office. “Apparently Mario Voigt learned nothing from February 5, 2020,” said van Aken.
Source: Stern
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