Parteiquerelen: Absage an Berlin: Thüringer BSW-Fraktion bleibt in Koalition

The Thuringian BSW parliamentary faction intends to stay within the so-called "Bramber-Koalition" alongside the CDU and SPD, directly opposing a decision made by the Bundesspitze. Sigrid Hupach, the faction's chairwoman, announced the unanimous decision during a meeting in Erfurt, attended by 13 out of the 15 faction members. Co-chair Sigrid Hupach emphasized that the decision had been made after thorough discussions.

The faction's debate continues, with a planned meeting of the party's central board the same evening to discuss the possibility of a special party congress. The central board had previously requested the Landtag to withdraw support from Minister-President Mario Voigt (CDU) due to the revocation of his doctoral title by TU Chemnitz.

Voigt plans to challenge the decision in court, according to his attorney. A few hours before the faction meeting in Erfurt, central board member Fabio De Masi reiterated his demand that the BSW faction cease supporting Voigt, as party governance is always against the central board's will. The fragmented majority in the Thuringian Landtag demands at least indirect support from the leftist faction to pass parliamentary decisions, and the AfD as the largest opposition party is not to be depended upon.

The BSW's founder, Sahra Wagenknecht, previously stated that the separation from the AfD had failed, and the AfD is considered securely far-right across Germany. Thuringia's BSW Landtag chairman and Finance Minister Katja Wolf stated that the BSW was founded to bring about change and that she is convinced that Thuringian representatives have consistently pursued the founding idea.

She personally sees no reason to leave the BSW. However, she criticized the way the decision was communicated within the party, emphasizing that they were not consulted on the support withdrawal. Both Wolf and Co-Landtag chairman Gernot Süßmuth indicated their support for demands from BSW district associations to convene a special party congress to discuss the future direction in Thuringia.

Wolf mentioned that a special congress in the current situation is not ominous and not disastrous, as it is necessary to discuss the issue with the grassroots. Wagenknecht also suggested a Thuringian special party congress, considering the debate not between the BSW at the federal level and the Landtag faction, but a debate within parts of the faction: "When the BSW set up the candidates for the Thuringian Landtag, the party was only a few weeks old."