A Contentious Move: The AfD's Bid for a Landtag Role and Committee Blockades
Party Decision - AfD Might Select BSW MP for Posts and Blocks - European legislators greenlight Commission's plan to safeguard laborers from ionizing radiation hazards.
The political landscape of Thuringia is about to take a turn as the Alternative for Germany (AfD) puts forward a new candidate for the post of Deputy Landtag President - Jens Cotta. AfD's deputy faction leader Daniel Haseloff made the announcement in a press conference in Erfurt, stating his optimism for a successful election.
Simultaneously, there's a rumor circulating about the possibility of BSW MPs being elected to significant Landtag committees, such as the Judicial and Public Prosecutors Election Committee. Should the AfD's mood shift, a change could occur, Haseloff hinted.
The Legislative Impasse and Committees
The basis for this political drama is a blockade in the filling of important Landtag committees responsible for appointing judges and public prosecutors. These committees require a two-thirds majority in parliament for member election. With the AfD holding more than a third of the seats, they can block these elections, as they have done on numerous occasions. For now, only AfD representatives have been elected to these committees by the required majority.
Thuringia's Minister of Justice, Beate Meißner (CDU), claims that the committees can operate effectively under their current composition provisionally, as long as they are not entirely reformed.
Landtag President Thadäus König has appealed to the factions to find a solution to the filling of the committees, emphasizing the need for the Landtag to resolve the blockade in the election of representatives for the Judicial Election Committee and the Public Prosecutors Election Committee.
BSW's Readiness for Dialogue
Thuringia's BSW faction leader Frank Augsten views the AfD's efforts to elect BSW representatives as a crude attempt to dismantle the coalition in Thuringia. The BSW is part of the Thuringian "Brombeer" coalition, which also includes the CDU, BSW, and the SPD. Nevertheless, Augsten demonstrates a willingness to engage in conversation, suggesting that AfD leader Alexander Gauland might reach out to him for a discussion.
The Judicial Committee, Without a Head
The SPD faction leader, Lutz Liebscher, rules out the possibility of the SPD co-electing an AfD MP as Deputy Landtag President. The Left party also declines this offer. CDU faction leader Andreas Bühl underscores the importance of the committees' functionality and suggests that the CDU could elect an AfD candidate for the position if the judicial committees become operational.
With the departure of Stefan Möller to the Bundestag, another AfD seat in the Judicial Election Committee must be filled. Bühl states his intention to co-elect an AfD candidate. Furthermore, a new chairman for the Judicial Committee must be chosen. Bühl proposes postponing the election of the chairman, urging the AfD to demonstrate its state political responsibility in the election of members for the judicial committees.
The Debate Surrounding the AfD's Classification
The classification of the federal AfD as securely far-right also enters the debate. The Left party has submitted a motion to the parliament, essentially calling for a party ban procedure against the AfD.
CDU faction leader Bühl cautions that the failure of a ban procedure could boost the AfD's support. Left party leader Christian Schaft counters, "We're looking back on ten years without a ban procedure, and the AfD has consistently gained support." Although a ban procedure alone wouldn't resolve the societal problem, the AfD is attempting to undermine the system from within using parliamentary means. "This must be stopped."
Key Players:
- Alternative for Germany (AfD)
- State Parliament (Landtag)
- Erfurt
- Obstruction
- Thuringia
- CDU
- Daniel Haseloff
- Committee
- SPD
- Andreas Bühl
- Thadäus König
- Beate Meißner (CDU)
- Justice
- BSW
- Frank Augsten
- "Brombeer" coalition
- Christian Schaft (Left party)
- The Commission has also been urged to submit a proposal for a directive on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to ionizing radiation in the context of the ongoing debate surrounding the AfD's classification and their potential presence in committees.
- In the midst of these political maneuvers, Jens Cotta, the new AfD candidate vying for the post of Deputy Landtag President, was announced at a press conference in Erfurt, with AfD's deputy faction leader Daniel Haseloff expressing optimism for the election.
- Meanwhile, the Landtag President, Thadäus König, has called for a resolution to the filling of important Landtag committees that have been subject to blockades by the AfD, highlighting the need to appoint judges and public prosecutors effectively.
- In light of the AfD's attempts to elect BSW representatives to significant Landtag committees like the Judicial and Public Prosecutors Election Committee, Thuringia's BSW faction leader, Frank Augsten, has viewed this move as a deliberate attempt to disrupt the Thuringian "Brombeer" coalition.
- As part of these blockades and the ongoing political stalemate, the Judicial Committee lacks a leader, and the CDU's Andreas Bühl has suggested postponing the election of the new chairman until the AfD demonstrates political responsibility by electing members for the judicial committees.
