Commencing discussions for a coalition in Thuringia: political entities convene this week
The CDU considers it their duty to bring about a coalition quickly and establish a "stable administration," according to Voigt's statements to the press. Initial conversations with BSW and SPD must first focus on clarifying the fundamental principles for any subsequent moves. Both BSW leader Katja Wolf and SPD leader Georg Mauer confirmed upcoming meetings with the CDU, stressing that these were not preliminary discussions yet.
Forming a government in Thuringia post-Sunday's state election has proven challenging due to intricate majority ratios. The AfD, classified as far-right extremist by the Thuringian Office for the Protection of the Constitution, leads the pack by a significant margin. However, no other party is willing to form a coalition with them. The CDU ranks second, followed by BSW and the Left Party. The SPD managed to secure a seat in the state parliament, but the Greens and FDP did not.
Given this situation, the primary focus is on forming a coalition between the CDU, BSW, and at least one other party. A three-party CDU-BSW-SPD coalition wouldn't be sufficient for the new state parliament, but a three-party alliance between CDU, BSW, and the Left Party would be. However, the CDU rejects alignment with the Left Party due to a disagreement resolution.
There are reservations within the CDU towards a coalition with BSW, which split from the Left Party only a few months ago and still has an unclear program. BSW chairman Wagenknecht links state-level coalitions to demands for foreign and security policy, such as opposing US intermediate-range missile deployment in Germany.
An alternative could be a minority government led by the CDU, relying on the occasional support of other parties. The Left Party has voiced general approval. Left Party's state chairman, Christian Schaft, stated in Erfurt on Wednesday that his party seeks "stable conditions."
Voigt disregarded internal CDU criticism regarding talks with BSW. The Thuringian CDU, Voigt said, had unanimously decided to conduct discussions necessary for establishing a stable government. "CDU fundamental beliefs" weren't at stake, he added, and "world politics" wouldn't be decided in Erfurt, referring to BSW's foreign policy demands.
On Wednesday, it remained uncertain whether and how Wagenknecht herself would participate in the CDU-BSW talks in Thuringia. Voigt expressed readiness for a meeting, provided Wagenknecht was interested in discussing regional matters like communal financial equalization. "There's no exclusion policy here," he stated. However, the first step would be meeting with the BSW's Thuringian top candidate, Wolf.
Wolf expected a meeting involving Wagenknecht but did not anticipate her participation in later exploratory rounds at the current juncture. Wagenknecht had previously made it clear that agreements would be made in exploratory talks at the "Thuringian level."
In the dispute over BSW's foreign policy demands, Wolf hinted at a potential compromise. Formulations could be "permanently etched" into a potential coalition agreement to emphasize Thuringia's strong advocacy for diplomatic solutions to the Ukraine conflict at the federal level, she suggested. War and peace matters also resonate with people in Thuringia, making it a "local issue."
The parties involved, including the CDU, BSW, and SPD, are currently engaging in discussions to form a coalition following the challenging post-election situation in Thuringia. Despite reservations within the CDU, they are willing to hold talks with BSW to establish a stable government, although a coalition with the Left Party is not an option due to disagreements.
