New ways to form a government
Extremism researcher recommends Thuringian CDU cooperation with leftists
March 8, 2024, 2:19 a.m
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In Thuringia, the CDU is still sticking to the firewall on the left. However, for political scientist Hajo Funke, this makes little sense. An alliance could help in the fight against the AfD.
In order to undermine the AfD, political scientist Hajo Funke recommends that the Thuringian CDU reconsider the incompatibility decision with the Left Party – at best before the upcoming state elections. “A coalition of the CDU and the Left could thus be strengthened as an option for a majority in parliament,” he tells the “Rheinische Post”. “According to the Prime Minister, the left in Thuringia is absolutely pragmatic, Bodo Ramelow is well anchored as the father of the state in Thuringia. It would be an experiment that would make sense in terms of democratic policy and to prevent a particularly right-wing extremist party.”
New ways to form a new government are needed, emphasizes Funke. “If we agree that we are dealing with a right-wing extremist, ethnic, racist and also fascist party, then the Democrats will have to find other ways to form a new government. However, I don’t see any preparations for this yet.”
No votes from the AfD
However, Funke believes it is impossible that CDU politician Mario Voigt will be promoted to the premiership in Thuringia with votes from the AfD. In this case, the CDU in Thuringia would have to get involved with a man “who is not only right-wing extremist oriented, but also clearly pursuing the power strategy of a neo-Nazi,” says the right-wing extremism researcher.
Höcke is striving for an ethnically pure, authoritarian republic and “is adamant about it.” He would set conditions and drive the party, which would de facto depend on him, ahead of him. If this happens, it would be “the end of the CDU People’s Party.” Basically everything is still open in Thuringia. According to Funke, it is not yet possible to estimate how the consent works for the CDU, the Left, the AfD and the Left will develop.
The state parliament in Thuringia will be re-elected on September 1st, 2024. Left-wing politician and Prime Minister Bodo Ramelow has already spoken out in favor of the possibility of working with the CDU. Some people in the Christian Democrats, such as Federal Executive Board member Mike Mohring, can imagine such a constellation, while others stick to the “firewall” on the left.