Thuringia: Potential Coalition of Ramelow and Voigt with BSW Party
Eastern Germany's BSW is a powerful force, possibly influencing the post-election government formation in Thuringia. Both the CDU and the Left party appear open to forming a coalition with it. However, whether a three-way partnership between Ramelow and Voigt materializes is uncertain, with only one of them harboring such expectations.
Thuringia's current Minister-President, Bodo Ramelow, hasn't ruled out a tripartite coalition with the CDU and the Bündnis Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW) after the September 1st elections. In conversation with the "Rheinische Post" and the Bonn "General-Anzeiger", Ramelow stated, "I'll wage a battle to receive the voter's mandate on the 1st of September for my party to form the government. If someone else clearly outranks us, they'll get the mandate, and I'll back them. That's also something Mario Voigt is aware of. I won't collaborate with any party other than the AfD."
If he examines the current polls, Ramelow observes "no discernible majorities as per a consistent pattern." Concerning the Thuringian CDU, Ramelow said, "It's almost silly to vilify the Left, but to rule out cooperation with the BSW is foolish."
Thuringia's CDU leader, Mario Voigt, justifies his stance by pointing to potential overlap between his party and the BSW. "I view the BSW as a big, enigmatic box," Voigt told the "Tagesspiegel." Few candidates from the party have emerged. "However, when it comes to topics like migration and education in Thuringia, the BSW offers more realistic perspectives than the Greens, the Left, or the SPD," according to the CDU politician, who aims to become Minister-President by autumn.
Voigt openly advocates for a coalition with the BSW in Thuringia. "I have no patience for exclusionism," Voigt explained. "I seek stable relationships in the state, but I make it clear that the CDU won't renounce its fundamental beliefs." The CDU intends to implement as much of its policy as possible from a position of strength. "The citizens want less illegal immigration, economic growth, and regular education," according to their party. For this cause, they are prepared to fight.
Ramelow: "Wagenknecht is a ghost candidate"
In response to whether he could broker a coalition between his party and the BSW following Sahra Wagenknecht and her followers' departure from the Left, Ramelow stated, "It's paradoxical: The BSW is gaining ground now. However, Sahra Wagenknecht is a ghost candidate. That was also the case during the European and communal elections. She's featured prominently on posters, but she's not running in Thuringia."
As per the latest Infratest Dimap survey conducted by MDR, the right-wing AfD leads in Thuringia with 28 percent, the CDU with 23 percent, and the BSW with 21 percent. The SPD would only receive 11 percent of the votes in Thuringia, and the Greens would fall short of entering the Landtag with a mere 4 percent.
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- The Left party in Thuringia, led by Bodo Ramelow, might find it challenging to form a coalition with the CDU after the State elections, as Ramelow has expressed interest in collaboration with the BSW party as well.
- In reference to the potential coalition between his party and the BSW, Bodo Ramelow mentioned that Sahra Wagenknecht, a prominent figure in the BSW, is more of a "ghost candidate" in Thuringia's context, as she is not running in the local elections.
- The CDU in Thuringia, under the leadership of Mario Voigt, has shown an openness to forming a coalition with the BSW, as they share similar stances on issues like migration and education in the state.
