Thomas Kemmerich was elected Prime Minister in Erfurt with the votes of the AfD, caused a political tremor - and resigned. As a consequence, the FDP politician is now staying away from the Federal Council meeting in Berlin.
Erfurt (dpa) - Political novelty: For the first time since reunification, Thuringia has not been represented at a Federal Council meeting.
The managing prime minister Thomas Kemmerich (FDP) has announced through a party spokesman that he will not go to the meeting of the regional chamber in Berlin. The reason: Kemmerich, who caused a political earthquake through his election with AfD votes, does not want to provoke with his presence.
Representatives of the previous red-red-green government coalition criticize his decision. Former Prime Minister Bodo Ramelow (left) sees the non-participation as a first indication of an emerging state crisis in Thuringia. "I hope that every member of the Landtag internalizes what it means if we don't have a state government," Ramelow told the dpa. He wants to stand for the prime minister election again if he has a majority without AfD votes - however, this requires at least four votes from the CDU or FDP.
Kemmerich, who resigned three days after his election, is only managing director and without a minister.
According to a Federal Council spokeswoman, his failure to participate as the only government representative in Thuringia amounts to abstaining from voting in the state. Thuringia has four votes. It remains to be seen whether a federal state has stayed away from the Federal Council meeting. There were no statistics available, it said.