State election in Thuringia - SPD leader aims for double-digit election result
SPD-Spitzen candidate and Interior Minister Georg Maier aims to win voters' favor in the upcoming state election with social promises, securing a double-digit result for the Social Democrats. The SPD advocates for a Christmas bonus of 500 Euro for minimum pensioners, free lunches for children in kindergartens and schools, and a minimum wage for caregivers. Maier presented the SPD campaign in Erfurt, stating that the party aims to care for people "keeping the land running."
The SPD, currently governing in Thuringia with the Left and Greens, plans to address the concerns of the population.
27 Million Euro for Christmas Bonus
Maier, who is running for the SPD as a top candidate for the first time, promised a campaign that would not rely on populism but instead address problems and offer solutions. He highlighted Thuringia's lowest average pensions.
A Christmas bonus is not a solution, but a first step. It would reportedly cost the state approximately 27 million Euro per year and less than half of the savings from the CDU, AfD, and FDP's reduction of the land transfer tax from 6.5% to 5.0%. On their campaign posters, the SPD also advocates for the hiring of 1,800 police officers over the next five years and a minimum wage of 15 Euro per hour for companies receiving public contracts.
Maier remains open to coalitions
Regarding the minimum wage for caregivers, approximately 275,000 in Thuringia, Maier suggested a model based on the Austrian example. In Austria, people caring for dependents and unable to work would be employed by a state corporation, with social security contributions paid and a minimum wage. "At least such a model project should we start," Maier said.
"The SPD stands for measurable and realistic goals," said its candidate. In the event of a potential government participation, the focus would be on negotiating these promises into a coalition agreement. Potential coalition partners were not named by Maier. "The SPD will play a role in organizing stable majorities." The current minority government since 2020 with the Left and Greens has functioned, but it could have done so more effectively with a stable majority.
Gaining an additional 20,000 votes
In the campaign, Maier also intends to leverage the support of the federal SPD leadership. "You can't pick the Bundestrend. I can't make the Bundestrend disappear." The coalition in Berlin is not functioning optimally but has recently come together on the budget. Maier is confident that people will feel that the state election in Thuringia is about the future of the region.
The new Thuringian parliament will be elected on September 1, 2022. In the most recent polls, the SPD is at 7%. In the 2019 state election, the SPD received 8.2%. A double-digit result is possible if the SPD gains approximately 20,000 additional voter votes, Maier said. "I believe it is achievable."
- Georg Maier, the SPD-Spitzen candidate and Interior Minister, is running in the State election in Thuringia, aiming to secure a double-digit result for his party.
- Maier's campaign promises include a Christmas bonus of 500 Euro for minimum pensioners, free lunches for children in kindergartens and schools, and a minimum wage for caregivers.
- During the state election campaign in Erfurt, Maier emphasized the SPD's commitment to caring for the people and keeping Thuringia running.
- The SPD, currently in power in Thuringia with the Left and Greens, plans to address the concerns of the population and improve the state's lowest average pensions.
- Maier proposed a model for the minimum wage for caregivers based on the Austrian example, where people caring for dependents would be employed by a state corporation with a minimum wage.
- In the event of a potential coalition, Maier highlighted that the SPD stands for measurable and realistic goals, and aims to negotiate these promises into a coalition agreement.
- Maier also plans to leverage the support of the federal SPD leadership in the state election campaign and aims to gain approximately 20,000 additional voter votes to achieve a double-digit result.
