- In Thuringia, the CDU completes negotiations with BSW and SPD.
The East German CDU has initiated preliminary discussions with the coalition spearheaded by Sahra Wagenknecht and the SPD. Christian Herrgott, the CDU's General Secretary in Thuringia, revealed that the state executive committee granted him and CDU state leader Mario Voigt the authority to hold these conversations. It's important to note that these are not formal coalition or exploratory talks yet. The decision was made unanimously by the state executive committee.
Herrgott also reiterated that the CDU's exclusionary decision towards the AfD still stands firm. "Without a doubt, we won't collaborate with the AfD. We stated this before the election, and it remains the same after the election. The same principle applies to a coalition with the Left," he asserted. Herrgott emphasized that they are embarking on a prolonged, intense, and complex process.
Previously, CDU federal chairman Friedrich Merz also underscored that the exclusionary decision regarding the AfD and the Left remains valid, and it's up to the state associations in Saxony and Thuringia to determine how to proceed.
Impasse Post-Election
The CDU finished second in the state election on Sunday, trailing behind the AfD led by far-right figurehead Björn Höcke. However, the political landscape following the election is intricate. A potential coalition consisting of CDU, BSW, and SPD will fail to secure a majority of seats in the new parliament in Erfurt, with 44 seats each. This predicament could potentially lead to an impasse with the possible opposition of AfD and Left.
The state executive committee of the CDU also addressed personnel matters: they unanimously agreed that Voigt should contest the position of parliamentary group leader once again. Meanwhile, the MP Andreas Bühl will be vying for the position of parliamentary affairs manager.
The SPD, being a part of the coalition spearheaded by Sahra Wagenknecht, was mentioned in the initial discussions initiated by the East German CDU. Despite the complexity of the political landscape post-election, with potential opposition from the AfD and Left, the CDU is currently exploring possibilities beyond collaborating with these parties.
