Elections - Fewer parties, more candidates than in 2019 state elections
Two months before the Thuringia Landtag Election, it is determined which parties and candidates will appear on the ballots. The Electoral Committee has approved 15 parties for the September 1st election, as announced by the Electoral Chairman. This is fewer than in 2019 when 18 parties participated.
However, the number of candidates vying for a seat in the Landtag is higher this time. A total of 427 candidates are running for a seat, including 130 women. In 2019, there were 399 candidates. For a party to enter the Land Parliament, they must secure at least 5% of the second vote.
BSW makes its first appearance
For the first time, the Thuringian branch of the Alliance for Germany (BSW) is running for election. They have 32 candidates in the race. The Value Union, led by former Constitutional Protection Agency President Hans-Georg Maassen, is also making its debut. Maassen's party list includes 28 candidates. The CDU has nominated the most Landtag candidates, with 87. The list of the governing party, the Left, includes 50 names, while their coalition partners, the SPD and Greens, have nominated 47 and 19 candidates, respectively.
The Satire Party was not approved.
The AfD, which has 44 candidates on the state list, will have to run without direct candidates in two of the three electoral districts in Wartburgkreis. Both Stephan Müller and Christoph Walter were not approved, according to the Landratsamt after a meeting of the local Electoral Committee.
Previously, the two had suffered a loss at the Erfurt Regional Court. They had sought to have the party executive, led by Björn Höcke, support their candidacy with the necessary signature. This was rejected, according to a court spokesperson. The party reportedly cited formal errors in the nomination of the two candidates and refused to support them as a result.
In the upcoming Thuringia Landtag Election, the Parliament will consider the candidates from 15 approved parties, including the Alliance for Germany (BSW) with 32 candidates. Despite fewer parties participating compared to 2019, the number of candidates seeking a seat has increased, with 130 women among them.
The AfD, with 44 candidates, faces a challenge in two electoral districts as Stephan Müller and Christoph Walter were not approved by the local Electoral Committee. This follows a court ruling where they attempted to secure support from the party executive for their candidacy.
The choice of which party to support for the second vote is crucial, as only those securing at least 5% of the second vote can enter the Land Parliament in Thuringia. This rigorous threshold ensures that the State Election results truly represent the will of the electorate.
