As of: February 9, 2024, 1:03 p.m
By: Peter Sieben
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Thuringia's CDU leader Mario Voigt made it clear before the state parliament elections when it comes to the AfD and the Left.
There are also very personal reasons for him.
Erfurt – When it comes to the AfD and the Left, Mario Voigt is very clear.
“We don’t sit like a rabbit in front of a rattlesnake, but instead confront the AfD hard on the issue,” said Thuringia’s CDU leader Voigt in an interview with
IPPEN.MEDIA
.
He is also his party's top candidate in the 2024 state elections in September - and is already in campaign mode.
He would like to replace left-wing Prime Minister Bodo Ramelow.
“People are fed up with the traffic lights in the federal government and with the Ramelow government here in Thuringia,” said Voigt.
However, a coalition with the AfD and the Left is not conceivable.
Thuringia state election 2024: “Common politics with the Left is impossible for the CDU”
A common policy with the Left is impossible for the CDU.
For him there are also personal reasons, says Voigt: “My grandfather was forcibly expropriated by the communists.
He lost everything in six hours.
I reject the politics of the left.” However, with regard to the new party led by ex-leftist Sahra Wagenknecht, things are not quite as clear.
Cooperation with Alliance Sahra Wagenknecht not excluded
Voigt did not explicitly rule out the possibility of working with the Alliance Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW).
“I can’t answer that concretely yet.
We first have to see what is actually being created, which program and which people BSW is using here in Thuringia.
As of now, we basically know nothing,” said the CDU politician.
For him, the election campaign is primarily about three issues that need to be addressed immediately: “The first is to give the economy room to breathe again.
In Thuringia we have been lagging behind in economic growth for nine years.
We are falling behind the West and the other East German federal states.” This is costing people prosperity, says Voigt.
Point two is the education sector.
“Every tenth hour in Thuringia is canceled.
I would like to quickly end the shortage of teachers.” The third thing is “unregulated immigration”.
He wants to limit this through “sensible measures”: “Specifically, this means that those who could be repatriated will actually be repatriated.” He also spoke out in favor of payment cards for refugees instead of cash benefits.
Voigt really wants the change of government.
He believes that the potential for frustration among people in East Germany is: “Many here feel reminded of 1989,” he said.
“Everyone knows, as they did back then, that something is wrong, but everyone is surprised that nothing is happening.
That's why it's important to voice your concerns and make it clear that all problems can be solved.
And not to speak out about the division in society, as the AfD does.”
AfD in Thuringia is the strongest force in surveys
In current surveys, the AfD leads the other parties in Thuringia by a significant margin.
In order to prevent a Prime Minister from the party, which is considered to be right-wing extremist in Thuringia, the current status is that the CDU and the Left or an alliance of at least three parties would have to agree on an opposing candidate.