Commission's response yet pending from Commission.
In the thick of a months-long feud over the control of two significant committees within Thuringian justice, the head honcho of the BSW state parliament faction, Frank Augsten, is readying himself for a groundbreaking conversation with the AfD. This chat with the AfD's leader, Björn Höcke, would be a first in Thuringian politics, as such high-level discussions between the two never occurred before.
Even seasoned members of the Thuringian state parliament struggle to recall any direct talks between Höcke and another faction leader throughout their tenures. In recent years, discussions between AfD reps and the other state parliament factions barely moved past chats at the level of parliamentary business managers.
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Action is afoot, as Augsten is set to chat up an AfD state parliament member on the sidelines of the approaching plenary session. The purpose of this tête-à-tête is to examine possible ways to fill both the judicial and the public prosecutor's election committee in a peaceable manner. No definite answers were given regarding who Augsten will be chatting with.
Deputy chairman of the AfD faction, Daniel Haseloff, confirmed the plans for such a get-together, offering a bit more insight. It seems the meeting will likely feature Höcke, according to Haseloff, given parliamentary protocol – a faction leader usuallytalks with another faction leader.
This faceoff over the election of members for the judicial and public prosecutor’s election committee has been a simmering issue in Thuringia for some time. The members chosen for these committees by the state parliament must be elected with a two-thirds majority. Yet, the CDU, BSW, Left, and SPD have repeatedly failed to achieve this due to the AfD's refusal to cooperate. Both committees play a crucial role in appointing judges and public prosecutors in the service of the Free State.
The CDU state parliament faction is taking another swing at filling these committees, as relayed by its chairman, Andreas Bühl. The CDU plans to present a list proposal during this plenary session. The names of members from all factions in the state parliament will grace this proposal. For the AfD, the CDU proposes AfD member Olaf Kießling for consideration. This move by the CDU allows the AfD to demonstrate its commitment to the state’s functionality or, arguably, its blockade of justice, according to Bühl.
In the world of Thuringian politics, a historic conversation is about to unfold, as Frank Augsten, the head of the BSW state parliament faction, prepares to discuss policy-and-legislation with the AfD's leader, Björn Höcke. This dispute over the election of members for the judicial and public prosecutor’s election committee has been a long-standing issue, and the upcoming meeting between the two factions might provide a solution to this general-news quandary.
