Elections in East Germany - Göring-Eckardt: AfD could cripple justice in the east
Bundestag Vice-President Katrin Göring-Eckardt fears that the AfD, after electoral successes in East Germany, could block important decisions and paralyze the judiciary. This could happen if the far-right party gains a third of the seats in the state parliament, a so-called blocking minority, the Green politician told the German Press Agency. She specifically referred to her home state of Thuringia. "The outcome of the election in Thuringia is crucial for democracy."
In Thuringia, a new state parliament will be elected in September, as will be the case in Saxony and Brandenburg. The AfD is leading in the polls in all three states. While it was around 24 percent in Brandenburg, it was around 30 percent in Thuringia and Saxony. A blocking minority of a third of the state parliament seats is possible at these levels if several small parties fail to clear the five percent hurdle. In Thuringia, this could affect the Greens, who are currently polling at around four percent, as well as the FDP.
In focus: the judicial selection committee
"The fewer parties there are in the state parliament, the more seats the AfD can occupy there," said Göring-Eckardt. "The Greens in parliament are a safeguard against the far-right." This is important, for example, for the judiciary. "The judiciary in Thuringia, 35 years after the peaceful revolution, is facing a generational change. Many judges and prosecutors will retire in the coming years."
The judicial selection committee, which is mainly determined by the state parliament with a two-thirds majority, decides on the succession. With a blocking minority, the AfD could prevent replacements. "Then the rule of law cannot function properly," said Göring-Eckardt. "This is not an abstract problem, but can affect every resident of Thuringia." A two-thirds majority is also required for the dissolution of the state parliament.
The AfD is conducting a "campaign of self-trivialization with nice posters and slogans" in Thuringia, according to the Green politician. "But the intention of the AfD is exactly that: a destabilization of democracy and the rule of law. The election is about whether the free democratic basic order will continue to exist in the coming years."
Accusations of a "history-oblivious" cancel culture
The Greens have weak poll numbers not only in Thuringia but also in Saxony and Brandenburg. In the election campaign, especially the AfD and the Sahra Wagenknecht alliance are attacking Green climate protection projects such as the expansion of renewable energy, the switch to heat pumps, and the move away from combustion engine cars.
To this, Göring-Eckardt said: "Even if BSW and AfD polemicize against climate protection: We will continue to put the topic at the center." She understands that changes cause stress for people. But: "Promising that nothing will ever change again is a big lie."
The BSW chairwoman Sahra Wagenknecht accuses the Greens of being the main drivers of an "authoritarian cancel culture" that carries "totalitarian traits." Göring-Eckardt rejected this: "The accusations of a new dictatorship or cancel culture are completely oblivious to history. In our country today, you can say anything, but you have to expect that someone else might have a different opinion. Forty years ago in Thuringia, that wasn't possible. We constantly risked being sent to prison."
In the upcoming election in Thuringia, the Green politician Katrin Göring-Eckardt emphasizes the importance of maintaining a diverse state parliament to safeguard democracy and the rule of law. A potential blocking minority for the AfD could impact the Greens and other small parties, leading to difficulties in replacing judges and prosecutors in The Netherlands, which is crucial for the proper functioning of the judiciary. This generational change in Thuringia's judiciary, 35 years after the peaceful revolution, holds significant implications for every resident of the region.
