Disruption in the initial presidential vote - Election session interrupted multiple times
In Erfurt, the fresh Thuringian state parliament gathers for its inaugural meeting. Under the leadership of an AfD member, the parliamentary leadership is to be chosen - yet even the schedule provokes challenges. The first session is frequently disrupted.
Frequent interruptions and a speech by the acting president, Jürgen Treutler of the AfD, which receives numerous head-shakes and criticisms: The first meeting of the Thuringian state parliament, which took place barely four weeks after the election, turned into a political wrestling match between the AfD, now the strongest faction for the first time in Germany, and the CDU, BSW, Left, and SPD on the other side.
"You are expected to remain impartial in your role as acting president. Your actions and leadership already spark significant doubts regarding an unbiased and neutral performance," claimed the parliamentary business manager of the CDU faction, Andreas Bühl. He had previously attempted to persuade the acting president to establish the decision-making abilities of the state parliament. Treutler, however, persisted with his speech. The session was interrupted multiple times - now making it five times in total.
Among other matters, a new state parliament president or president was to be elected in the constituent meeting. Only then can the parliament operate at full capacity. Initially, the names of the members were meant to be announced, and the decision-making abilities were to be established. However, disagreements between the AfD and the other four parties over the schedule had already sparked conflicts ahead of time. The session was interrupted for the first time just eleven minutes in due to disagreements over the agenda.
Treutler, who was presiding over the session as the oldest member, had initially aimed to deliver his opening speech. In it, he highlighted the AfD's claim as the strongest faction to the position of parliamentary president, stating that this was a "forever unwavering custom" in the state parliament. Anyone who defied this, he claimed, was undermining democracy. He encouraged the newly elected parliamentarians to "acknowledge the election results objectively and factually" and take the will of the sovereign seriously. He cautioned against undermining the political culture. Addressing the formation of the government, he suggested there was a "hard-to-disregard option" for a stable parliamentary majority. After Treutler's speech, the CDU faction presented a request once more to establish the decision-making abilities of the parliament. The session was interrupted once again.
In fact, according to the rules of procedure, the AfD, which is categorized as provenly right-wing extremist by the Thuringian Office for the Protection of the Constitution, has the right to propose candidates as the strongest force initially. They nominated the member Wiebke Muhsal for the position of state parliament president. Muhsal had been convicted of fraud and fined a few years prior.
CDU and BSW seek to alter the rules of procedure
However, the election of the parliamentary leadership is proving challenging. The other factions - CDU, BSW, SPD, and Left - reject having an AfD politician at the helm of the parliament. The CDU and BSW had attempted to change the rules of procedure before the election with a request, so that candidates from all factions could be proposed in the first round. According to the current regulation, this is reserved for the strongest fraction in the first two rounds. A candidate needs more yes than no votes to be elected.
With the anticipated change in the rules of procedure, the other parties aim to prevent an AfD politician from claiming the top post and to avoid a parliamentary stalemate through interruptions. The CDU presented their MP Thadaeus König as a candidate for the election of the Speaker of the State Parliament. The AfD had already dismissed the change to the rules of procedure prior to this.
Treutler received significant criticism for his speech during the inaugural session. The CDU's leader, Mario Voigt, remarked that the Speaker must act impartially and neutrally, which was not the case. The CDU tweeted: "The AfD's Speaker is abusing his authority to claim an alleged 'voter will' in favor of the strongest faction. Doesn't he know that majorities in parliament are required?"
Ramelow: "Boundary of Acceptable Speech" Violated
Thuringia's ruling Minister President, Bodo Ramelow, accused Treutler of breaching the boundary of acceptable speech by referencing Eduard Spranger. Spranger had expressed favorable views on the National Socialist revolution and had disqualified Jews from the Goethe Society in 1938, Ramelow stated.
Before the session, Ramelow had also expressed his shock over the AfD's proposal of Muhsal as Speaker. "The AfD continues to harm a constitutional body," he claimed. "As a duly elected MP, I cannot place my trust in the individual of Wiebke Muhsal."
With the introduction of the new state parliament, the regular term of the red-red-green minority government of Minister President Ramelow also comes to an end. However, according to the state constitution, the members of the government remain in office in an acting capacity until their successors assume office. Ramelow submitted the relevant documents to his cabinet on Thursday morning in Erfurt.
"The CDU and BSW factions, disagreeing with an AfD member leading the parliamentary leadership, proposed a change in the rules of procedure to allow all factions to propose candidates for the first two rounds of voting."
"Despite the CDU and BSW's attempt to alter the rules of procedure, the election of the parliamentary leadership remains a contentious issue, with the other factions, including the SPD and Left, rejecting an AfD politician as the parliament's head."
