- CDU leader Voigt aims to investigate what's practically achievable.
Thuringia's CDU head honcho, considering the complicated political scenario post the state vote, will first chat with the SPD and Wagenknecht's new alliance. "We're in unchartered waters now," Voigt reported at a joint meeting with CDU federal head Honcho Merz and Kretschmer, Minister-President of Saxony (both CDU), in Berlin. "Our goal is still to head a CDU government. We'll obviously explore what viable options exist under these challenging conditions," he concluded. Based on the knowledge gained in Thuringia, it's "essential, in the initial stage, to negotiate with the SPD and BSW."
Voigt's CDU took second place in the state poll - trailing AfD, led by Höcke. The speculated coalition of CDU, BSW, and SPD surprisingly missed the mark in assembling a majority in the new Thuringian state parliament by just one seat, necessitating a 45-seat majority. A majority, however, could be established through an alliance between CDU, BSW, and the Left. Yet, the CDU policy prohibits cooperating with AfD or Left due to a disagreement resolution.
Merz stressed that this congressional ban remains valid. Resolving this issue will fall under the purview of the two regional branches in Saxony and Thuringia. Kretschmer endorsed the ban as well. "The ban pertains to government participation, structural cooperation," he insisted. Regardless, he considered dialogue appropriate.
Voigt acknowledged the need for a strategic alliance between the CDU, SPD, and potentially the Left to form a majority in Thuringia's state parliament, given the results of the state poll and the coalition failure with BSW. Despite this, the CDU head honcho, Voigt, reiterated the party's policy to not cooperate with the AfD or the Left due to disagreement resolutions, echoing the stance of Merz and Kretschmer.
