Thuringia remains good for surprises: After a tough struggle, the Left, SPD, Greens and CDU agree a historic compromise. There is encouragement and criticism - the latter from the federal CDU.
- In Thuringia, top politicians of the parties spent days discussing a way out of the government crisis.
- A managing prime minister currently rules in the federal state - without a minister and without a deputy.
- Leading politicians from the Left , SPD , Greens and CDU have now entered into a "historic compromise".
Update of February 22, 8:17 p.m .: "The decision of the CDU Thuringia to vote for Mr. Ramelow temporarily damages the credibility of the CDU in all of Germany, " complains Friedrich Merz on Twitter, "the Thuringian CDU would never have changed from the start to allow the AfD to contemptuously treat our democracy . "
Very harsh words that the CDU board candidate * da sends on the net. But Friedrich Merz is not the only one who strongly condemns such a deal . The man who is supposed to benefit from it does not want to know anything about an agreement.
Deal in Thuringia? Friedrich Merz beside himself - but Bodo Ramelow doesn't want to have anything agreed
"There is no agreement with the CDU that the parliamentary group will elect me," explains the left-wing politician of the "Thuringian General". Nevertheless, he was certain that he would be elected Prime Minister in the first ballot.
It is even clear that the Union is not positioning itself as a supporter. The alleged deal does not exist, according to the 64-year-old. " On the contrary: Instead, we have consistently talked about the fact that the Thuringian CDU must of course observe its federal resolutions . That was the starting point and was respected by all four groups at the table, ”he clarifies.
Update February 22 15:02: The federal CDU rejects the words of Secretary Paul Ziemiak from the election of a left Prime Minister Bodo Ramelow in Thuringia with the help of the CDU. Ziemiak said on Saturday in Iserlohn that those who choose Ramelow from the CDU are violating the decisions of the CDU.
Update from February 22, 1:15 p.m .: Thuringia's SPD has backed the controversial compromise with the CDU to resolve the government crisis. The agreement reached on Friday for the election of the prime minister and the new election of the parliament was unanimously approved by the SPD state executive in Erfurt on Saturday, said state director Anja Zachow of the German Press Agency. SPD leader Wolfgang Tiefensee and the parliamentary group chairman Matthias Hey had been given the mandate "that the SPD can join a red-red-green minority government supported by the CDU".
Spahn rejects the election of Ramelow with CDU votes, also Schäuble with criticism
Update from February 22, 1:15 p.m .: There is criticism in the federal CDU of the agreement of the Thuringian party friends with the Left Party, SPD and Greens to solve the Erfurt government crisis. For example, Bundestag President Wolfgang Schäuble categorically rejects cooperation between his CDU and the Left Party. Schäuble told the “Handelsblatt”: “The Left Party is still legally the old SED. We had and have colleagues in the Bundestag who have been victims of the Stasi. ”The fight against communism is part of the CDU. With regard to the now agreed cooperation between the Thuringian CDU and the Left Party, Schäuble said: "Of course Bodo Ramelow is not a communist, he was a trade unionist in Hesse." But that doesn't change the fact that the left wants to leave NATO, that it is unclear Have an attitude to the EU that she takes a strong regard for Russia in foreign policy. "There is no cooperation with the CDU," said Schäuble. It remained open whether Schäuble made a difference between the left in the federal government and at the state level .
Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn wrote on Twitter on Saturday that he rejected an election of Bodo Ramelow by the CDU. The Union is in a "crisis of confidence". "The last twists from Thuringia" cost further trust, added Spahn. It is now about the "substance of our party - not only in Thuringia".
I reject an election of @bodoramelow by the @CDU.
As a Union, we are in a crisis of confidence. The last phrases from # Thuringia cost further trust. It is now about the substance of our party - not only in Thuringia.
FDP chief Christian Lindner , on the other hand, believes that cooperation with the Left Party is possible in individual cases , but strictly rejects this with the AfD. Lindner told ntv.de that former prime minister Bodo Ramelow still did not consider the GDR to be an injustice state, but unlike AfD politician Björn Höcke, Ramelow was not an extremist. "That is why you can work with the left in individual cases on factual issues. "When asked whether the FDP should now sweep the broken pieces in Thuringia and support Ramelow, Lindner said:" Political groups make autonomous decisions on such questions. "
Update from February 22, 12.25 p.m .: Alexander Gauland , the leader of the AfD parliamentary group in the Bundestag, is going to court with the agreement of the CDU with Red-Red-Green in Thuringia: "The decision of the Thuringian CDU, a prime minister of the Left Party ins Helping office and tolerating his government is a betrayal of the CDU voters and all victims of the SED regime. That is the end of the CDU by Konrad Adenauer, Ludwig Erhard and Helmut Kohl. With that, the firewall to the Left Party, which wants to overthrow the political and economic system of the Federal Republic and introduce socialism, has finally fallen, ”weathered Gauland.
Lieberknecht: "Stability for a manageable period until the new election"
Thuringia's ex-prime minister Christine Lieberknecht (CDU) considers the agreement between the left, the SPD, the Greens and the CDU in Thuringia, which has so far been unique in German state politics, to be sustainable . "It ensures a reliable election of Bodo Ramelow as Prime Minister by a sufficient number of votes," said Lieberknecht to the German Press Agency in Erfurt on Saturday. In addition, there is stability in government action "for a manageable time until the new election".
Ex-Prime Minister of Thuringia Christine Lieberknecht (CDU).
© dpa / Martin Schutt
Update from February 22, 6 a.m .: A party convention resolution actually forbids the CDU any cooperation with the AfD and the left . But now there should be a kind of cooperation. Thuringia's CDU Vice-President Mario Voigt said: "For the transition, these forms of binding cooperation, project-oriented cooperation, are needed."
The CDU will nevertheless start independent initiatives in parliament. "We see ourselves as a constructive opposition, " said Voigt. One wants to seek compromises together and then lead to success, but only “for a limited time,” as Voigt emphasized.
Thuringia: Breakthrough in deliberations - Political sensation is looming: "This is a big day"
Update at 23:02: After the deliberations in Erfurt, left-wing politician Bodo Ramelow announced a small political sensation according to the dpa. “We will go new democratic ways. It's a great day, ”said Ramelow. What seemed impossible for a long time is now to happen: The CDU wants to make a kind of temporary tolerance of a red-red-green minority government of Ramelow possible . With joint projects up to new elections on April 25, 2021.
Mike Mohring, CDU parliamentary group leader in Thuringia, and Mario Voigt (r.), Deputy CDU country leader.
© dpa / Martin Schutt
Update at 10:49 pm: As the news agency AFP reports, left-wing politician Bodo Ramelow was sure on Friday evening that he would be elected as prime minister in Thuringia when he ran again . Susanne Hennig-Wellsow, leader of the left-wing parliamentary group in Thuringia, also said: "We assume that the election will succeed in the first ballot ".
Thuringian crisis: Ramelow is certain of victory in terms of new elections - but the CDU could get in his way
The announced schedule , which includes a prime ministerial election on March 4 and a new parliament on April 25, 2021 , is the result of an agreement between all four parties , said Ramelow. After the talks, however, the planned election behavior of the CDU in the state parliament session on March 4 remained unclear . Mario, Vogt, deputy CDU country chief, told journalists about the CDU ban on cooperation with the AfD and leftists, "the basic decision has been made". It remained unclear how Ramelow's election would succeed in the first ballot. Because the coalition of the left with the SPD and the Greens is a minority government and does not have the necessary votes, writes the AFP.
But Green Group leader Dirk Adams said about Ramelow's election , the party is absolutely certain that it is possible to elect him on March 4. According to speculations in Erfurt, a group of several CDU MPs could vote in the secret ballot for Ramelow and thus enable his victory in the first ballot, reports the AFP.
Thuringia crisis: Election of the Prime Minister on March 4 - Bodo Ramelow wants to run for office
Update at 10:14 p.m .: The politicians of the Left, SPD, Greens and CDU were not only able to agree on a date for the election of the new parliament in Thuringia , but they also set a day for the election of the prime minister . Parliament is to be elected on April 25, 2021, and the new Prime Minister on March 4 . The former head of government Bodo Ramelow (left) announced on Friday evening in Erfurt. The Thuringian Left Group leader Susanne Hennig-Wellsow announced that her parliamentary group wants to propose Ramelow as a candidate . According to Ramelow, the parties also agreed on a "stability mechanism" . This should ensure, among other things, that the AfD is not the tip of the scales when it comes to political decisions in the state parliament.
Update at 9.09 p.m .: Apparently the left, SPD and Greens in Thuringia have largely agreed with the CDU on a way out of the government crisis . The German press agency reported on Friday evening, citing negotiating groups. Now it is only a question of details, it was said by party representatives in the state parliament.
In addition, the politicians in Erfurt are said to have agreed on an appointment for new elections. April 25, 2021 should have been set as the new election date . The dpa reported this and also referred to the participants in the meeting.
Thuringian crisis: New election may not be until 2021 - an appointment in March is up for debate
Update at 8:36 p.m .: As could be heard from negotiating circles in Erfurt on Friday evening, given the difficult majority situation, Thuringia's state parliament could only be re-elected next year . At a meeting between the Left, the SPD and the Greens with the CDU , an election date was discussed next year , the negotiators said, according to a dpa report, unanimously in the state parliament. One of the variants is an appointment in March 2021 , possibly together with the state elections in Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate.
However, there is still no final decision on the new election date in Thuringia. The SPD and Linke have so far advocated a quick election before the state parliament's summer break, whereas the CDU is in favor of an appointment after the 2021 state budget has been passed.
Thuringian crisis: are the left, SPD, Greens and CDU coming closer? The focus is on dealing with AfD
Update at 7.45 p.m .: Apparently in the fourth round of talks to solve the government crisis in Thuringia on Friday there were signs of rapprochement between the Left, the SPD, the Greens and the CDU . The focus is on a concept for how the other parties deal with the AfD, it was said in negotiating circles in Erfurt. According to a Spiegel report, this concept could be such that none of the four parties was allowed to use the votes of the 22 AfD MPs to achieve their own goals .
Majorities beyond the AfD would therefore always have to be found . According to Spiegel, parts of the CDU are apparently also ready to elect Bodo Ramelow (left) as prime minister - this could make it possible to dispense with new elections. The goal of the parties is to present a solution by Friday. However, the talks should definitely end at 8 p.m. - with or without a solution.
First report from February 21, 2020 at 4:30 p.m .:
Thuringia crisis: Left, SPD, Greens and CDU continue to discuss a solution on Friday
Erfurt - How is it getting out of the government crisis? Thuringia's parties continue to advise this Friday - already in the fourth attempt. At the talks in the state parliament in Erfurt , the Left , SPD and Greens have now reached an agreement with the CDU on a "Stability Pact" for Thuringia. The dpa reports and refers to negotiating circles. Details of this “stability pact” were initially not known.
Even before the talks, the Thuringian Left and the Greens had insisted on promises from the CDU not to go together with the AfD in state parliament votes. The left-wing head of state, Susanne Hennig-Wellsow, is calling for an "AfD moratorium" from the CDU. De facto, the approval of this demand would amount to a tolerance of the planned minority government from the left, SPD and Greens.
Thuringian crisis: Ramelow, new election and state budget as topics
The negotiations in Erfurt are about a majority for the election of the politician Bodo Ramelow (left) as Prime Minister, the date for a new election of the parliament as well as a joint action in the preparation of the state budget for 2021. SPD parliamentary group leader Matthias Hey urged on Friday again on new elections. According to recent events, this is also a question of attitude.
The deputy SPD chairman and Juso boss Kevin Kühnert reprimanded the Thuringian CDU for hesitation. The party apparently only makes its decisions according to how it can defend its mandates, he told the Passau Neue Presse : "In Thuringia, there must be new elections as soon as possible." According to observers, the CDU also wants to delay the election because polls have shown it to have dropped significantly.
Former Prime Minister Ramelow on Thuringia crisis meeting: "You see us relaxed"
Ex-Prime Minister Ramelow said when asked how the talks went on Friday, however, "positive" and "you see us relaxed. We are at work. ”Negotiating circles said that the CDU could now be ready to help Ramelow achieve the necessary majority in the state parliament in a prime ministerial election.
Negotiations on Friday said, however, that the CDU could now be willing to help Ramelow achieve the necessary majority in the state parliament . The alliance of the Left, the SPD and the Greens that he favored lacks four votes in parliament for a majority in the first ballot. Ramelow had stated on several occasions that he would only take the risk of being re-elected prime minister if a democratic majority was certain and that he was not in danger of being voted on by secret vote with the AfD. When asked how the talks went, Ramelow said on Friday in the state parliament in Erfurt: "positive". "You see us relaxed. We are working. "
District administrator candidate relies on AfD majority - she draws consequences
The four parties have been looking for ways out of the government crisis with the AfD for a good two weeks after Thomas Kemmerich's (FDP) prime minister election . After his resignation, Kemmerich is only managing director and without a minister in office.
A politician from Schleswig-Holstein, however, draws personal consequences from the election scandal in Thuringia. The Lübeck culture and education senator Kathrin Weiher (independent) wants to avoid similar incidents - and has therefore withdrawn her candidature for the district election in the district of Segeberg. The Kieler Nachrichten had first reported about it.
Weiher, who was supported by the CDU, would probably only have had a majority with AfD votes. Weiher informed the district president Claus-Peter Dieck (CDU) that he would no longer be “very heavy-hearted”. She hoped to win votes across a broad spectrum of democratic parties.
Kemmerich was the first head of government in Germany to come into office with the help of the AfD - under almost grotesque circumstances, as can be seen at Merkur.de *. His choice had caused outrage and protests across the country. Since then, it is unclear how things will continue in Thuringia.
More on the topic in the video: After Lieberknecht's cancellation in Thuringia - What now, CDU?
dpa / AFP / frs
* Merkur.de is part of the nationwide Ippen-Digital editors network.
