Establishing the legitimate foundation for prohibited firearm areas
Before the local election in Thuringia, the SPD is in a challenging position. Their leading candidate, Georg Maier, shares his strategies for convincing voters in the final week before September 1st, also discussing his openness to forming a coalition with the BSW and CDU. He expresses frustration with the previous minority government with the Left and Greens.
ntv.de: Mr. Maier, during your campaign in Thuringia, you aim for a strong SPD result on September 1st. According to polls, you're only scraping single-digit percentages. What's tarnishing the SPD's image?
Our numbers slipped from eight percent in 2019 to seven percent in recent polls, but it's not a significant drop-off. Certainly, we're disappointed with such results. However, I remain optimistic about securing a better outcome. Many individuals are still undecided. I'm counting on voters focusing on local issues and the state's priorities.
Are you focusing more on the Ukraine war than local matters in your campaign?
I recently visited an outreach booth in Sonneberg's pedestrian zone, where residents elected an AfD politician as district administrator. Yet, people are interested in more than just war and peace. Except for the occasional conversation about peace, we frequently discuss care, pensions, wages.
What specific concerns are being raised?
Voters question: Why do 40 percent of Sonneberg residents earn the minimum wage, while the wage level in nearby Coburg, Bavaria, is significantly higher? A woman expressed frustration: I've worked for 45 years, only to receive a pension notice stating my monthly benefit would be 895 euros. Living on that is hardly sustainable. Fairness in Thuringia is of utmost importance to me.
Your proposals include 500 euros for Christmas bonuses for pensioners, free school lunches, aid for caregivers, and a 15 euro minimum wage. Are these enticements to salvage the SPD?
Yes, opponents attempt to paint us as corrupt, but we don't succumb to their tactics. I've never been an ideological politician; I seek practical solutions. And these proposals reflect our goal of improving conditions for Thuringia's residents.
But you'll have to admit some proposals are unrealistic.
I can assure you of the costs associated with the Christmas bonus plan. Introducing this incentive for our most vulnerable citizens will cost 27 million euros, a fraction of the overall budget (14 billion euros). It's a significant statement to show we value our senior population.
But implementing a 15 euro minimum wage belongs to the federal committee, not the Thuringian state government.
Thuringia's wages and salaries are approximately 20 percent lower than in western regions. This disparity is unsustainable. Businesses require fresh talent, and high wages are crucial to attract and retain skilled workers. Additionally, an excessive focus on deporting immigrants, as advocated by AfD, is detrimental. It would strain our healthcare system and put tourism at risk.
Your argument supports introducing a condition to award contracts only to companies paying a 15 euro minimum wage.
You're originally from Baden-Württemberg and have spent decades in Frankfurt. If your acquaintances from the past ask about Thuringia's situation, how do you respond? What is the general perception of the Thuringians as being far-right and anti-democratic?
I won't blame AfD voters for their decisions. I aim to understand their motivations. It's crucial to prevent individuals from supporting undemocratic or populist parties by promoting justice in the system. I assure my friends that dissatisfaction exists because of lingering social disparities between the East and West.
How do you know this, apart from wages?
Examine personal wealth. It's largely Less than half of what it is in the West. However, people require reserves. Thus, the substantial food price increases, up to 30% in recent years, impact heavily on residents' living standards. As a result, many folks must curb expenses, including taking fewer vacations.
Are there any boundaries to far-right extremism? While dissatisfaction is a valid emotion, it doesn't necessitate voting for an extreme right-wing party like the AfD's Björn Höcke.
Upon revisiting Sonneberg, they have an AfD county administrator. However, people are realizing his inefficiency; Gentle, he's not delivering any significant achievements, particularly in immigration matters. His inability to implement an asylum seeker payment card is telling. The AfD might promote euro and EU exits, but sacrifices that would be disastrous for Thuringia. Simultaneously, they stoke fear of refugees, which is unfortunate. Any individual with a migration background is viewed by them as a potential criminal; they propose simple answers with unworkable consequences.
The traffic light coalition isn't entirely blameless. The continuous bickering is detrimental to communication. However, the traffic light has been instrumental in navigating us through the crises. We've managed to secure an industrial electricity price that's less expensive than before the crisis, but it's failing to showcase its accomplishments effectively. This makes it easier for populists to capitalize on its shortcomings.
On Tuesday, you'll be campaigning with Olaf Scholz in Jena. Dietmar Woidke, Brandenburg's Minister President, isn't joining you. Would things have been smoother without the Chancellor's visit?
I'm grateful for his presence. He's our nation's chancellor. We can always use his support. The issues within the traffic light coalition are beyond our control, though. That's not the SPD's fault; it's our coalition partners'.
But dissatisfaction has its roots. Crime rates have actually increased, as indicated by police crime statistics. And that's in your area of responsibility.
Thuringia remains one of the safest states. While there may be periodic fluctuations, it's typical. Firearm use, homicides, and manslaughter have all decreased. On the other hand, property crimes have increased. However, I won't deny the rise in crime among immigrants. Most of this is happening in reception facilities. We're also seeing crimes involving knives. In Thuringia, we're currently drafting legislation for weapon-free zones to give the police more options. Those who disobey face severe consequences, including swift deportation to their home countries.
But that strategy isn't working, is it? Chancellor Scholz once promised mass deportations, but little progress has been made.
I've been in charge of migration since December. Prior to that, the topic was managed by the Green coalition partner in the Ministry of Justice, which led to significant shortcomings. The initial reception process was chaotic at times. We've improved upon the chaos, and deported 60 percent more people. We're deporting repeat and high-risk offenders. Much has changed.
If you want to remain Interior Minister, the SPD must be part of the next government. You've rejected the previous Red-Red-Green coalition. Are you jumping ship?
Red-Red-Green has no future. It's a straightforward mathematical equation. The polls are clear. This arrangement is no longer popular.
Were the past five years of minority government stagnant, as critics claim?
A minority government was challenging due to the lack of a reliable tolerance partner at the start. Initially, the CDU collaborated. When there were no new elections because the CDU no longer desired them, we had to manage without a majority. I strongly encourage against such a scenario. It didn't work out well. We managed to make crucial decisions, such as budgeting, but it was always lengthy and difficult. Some impulsive choices were made. I strongly advise against it.
Was your rejection of Red-Red-Green also an attempt to form an alliance with CDU, SPD, and BSW?
Thuringia desperately needs a majority government. Of course, we're open to this possibility. In such a government, we'll prioritize social issues.
The only viable option is an alliance of CDU, SPD, and BSW.
That appears to be the case. A two-party coalition won't work, so a three-party coalition must be established. That will only work with the SPD.
CDU and SPD have collaborated before. But don't you have reservations about the BSW if Sahra Wagenknecht starts ruling from Berlin or the Saarland?
The BSW remains a mystery. You truly have no idea of their intentions. Their program fails to offer many answers. There are left-wing components, as well as nationalist ones. I've met a few practical individuals, like the lead candidate Katja Wolf. That would be a good starting point for me. The question is whether Frau Wagenknecht will approve.
Frau Wagenknecht is setting conditions for government participation from the outside, particularly regarding issues that Thuringia cannot decide, such as weapons deliveries to Ukraine or the placement of US missiles in Germany. That won't work. Neither the CDU nor the SPD can meet these conditions. If the BSW focuses on what's important for Thuringia, a coalition would be possible.
That would be the motto: Everyone against the AFG, and exactly what Höcke wants. Then they can say again: We stand alone against the rest. Can this be resolved?
You see, with the AFG, unlike the BSW, we understand their intentions clearly: they are a racist, far-right party. They categorize people into good and evil. This contradicts the Basic Law. Cooperation is therefore impossible by default. The AFG seeks to discredit us as an "outdated party." In reality, we are Germany's oldest democratic party. We are proud of that.
Volker Petersen interviewed Georg Maier.
In your discussions with potential coalition partners, have you discussed collaborating with the BSW beyond the local election in Thuringia?
Georg Maier mentioned the openness to forming a coalition with the BSW in Thuringia, but he didn't specify whether this was limited to the local election. To gather more information, you could ask:
Given your conversations about working with the BSW in Thuringia, have you considered the possibility of a broader alliance between the SPD, CDU, and BSW at a national level?
