- Curious carnival participant advocates for unique treatment towards AfD party
Chairwoman of BSW, Sahra Wagenknecht, advocates for a fresh take on the AfD. "The strategy of instantly rejecting every AfD statement and boasting as virtuous democrats has evidently not swayed Höcke and his crew.", she stated to the "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung". "If the AfD claims the sky is blue, BSW won't claim it's purple. Deriving coalition intentions from that is simplistic. We require a different tactic, and above all, we need sound politics in the federal and state governments that caters to the citizens' desires instead of leaving them upset", stressed the party's founder.
Wagenknecht responded to comments made by the Thuringian CDU top prospect, Mario Voigt. He encouraged Wagenknecht to clarify her stance after Thuringian BSW top prospect for the September 1st state election, Katja Wolf, did not dismiss the possibility of supporting AfD proposals in parliament during an MDR appearance on Thursday evening. "I don't foresee the AfD overwhelmingly proposing reasonable legislation", Wolf explained on Thursday evening, referring to her life experiences. "However, if that happens, we'll discuss it, and it's the strength of argument in the political sphere." The "myopic approach we've been using" is "outdated". She proposed "not a typical approach, but a comprehensive one" towards the AfD.
Voigt later labeled BSW as keeping open the prospect of collaboration with the AfD. In the MDR discussion, it became apparent that BSW could tolerate an AfD minority government, according to Voigt. Voters now understand the situation, Voigt noted. Katja Wolf told the German Press Agency: "That's a completely illogical interpretation."
Despite his criticism, Voigt did not dismiss the possibility of cooperation between the Union and the newly formed BSW party. He stated he would patiently wait for the election results. His aim is to persuade as many voters as possible to vote for his party with dual votes.
The Alliance for Progress and Socialism (BSW) established its Thuringian state association just in March. Nevertheless, the party has seen significant success in eastern German federal states - especially in Thuringia, where a tight race with the CDU for second place is imminent in the state election. If Wolf surpasses Voigt with BSW on election night, she may claim the position of Minister President. None of the parties with potential to enter the state parliament desire a coalition with the AfD, led by Björn Höcke, making his power claim despite the poll leads improbable.
New standards in a coalition
A few days prior, Wolf had already urged a revised approach towards the AfD in an interview with "Welt" and criticized that the firewall had emboldened the AfD. If there are compelling reasons to reject a motion, it should be rejected. "Or you have to stand up and say: It's sensible, we'll vote for it. We need more practicality and less ideology", she noted.
Later, Wolf informed the German Press Agency that it's important to place more emphasis on content rather than "attacking". However, she is also aware of the political game rules. "If you're in a coalition, different standards apply to proposals. That's logical."
In an MDR interview, the politician reaffirmed that the AfD's strength is "a key issue in this country". A coalition with AfD, considered far-right in Thuringia, remains unfeasible for her.
The CDU rejects collaboration with AfD. Nonetheless, in the past, the CDU in Thuringia has accepted AfD votes to support its own bills. Several laws have been enacted with the help of Höcke's faction in the state parliament. Regardless, the CDU has consistently asserted that it would not back AfD proposals or laws.
The following comments by Katja Wolf sparked a response from Mario Voigt, who suggested that BSW might consider supporting AfD proposals in parliament. Wagenknecht then emphasized the need for a fresh approach towards the AfD, stating that deriving coalition intentions from BSW's stance on AfD proposals is simplistic.
