Abspaltung im Landtag: Thüringer BSW-Fraktion verliert drei Abgeordnete

Three Thuringian Social Democrat (BSW) politicians have left the party and their Fraktion in the Thuringian Landtag, reducing the BSW's Fraktion from 15 to 12 members. Sigrid Hupach, the Fraktion leader, announced the departures of Stefan Wogawa, Dirk Hoffmeister, and Roberto Kobelt. The three rogue politicians have also left the party but intend to retain their mandates.

They have reportedly founded a new party called "Your Vote Counts." Wogawa served as the parliamentary business manager in the BSW Fraktion. Matthias Herzog, another BSW politician, had previously announced his departure from the party but plans to remain a member of the Fraktion. The BSW is part of a Patt-regierung (tie government) coalition with the CDU and SPD.

The coalition had previously lacked a majority in the Landtag, relying on the opposition AfD and Linke to form a majority. The recent Fraktion austritten (Fraktion departures) have transformed the previously Patt-regierung into a true Minderheitsregierung (minority government) in Erfurt, which can potentially be overruled by the opposition in Parliament.

The decision of the politicians to leave the party and Fraktion is primarily due to the course of action taken by the BSW's federal leadership, which they claim is increasingly erratic. The party's departure was submitted by mail to both the federal and state party offices. The conflict between the Thuringian BSW Landesverband (state committee) and the federal party has existed since the government formation in 2024.

Some party members, including Anke Wirsing and Sven Küntzel, support the federal leadership's course. Wogawa, Kobelt, and Hoffmeister aim to form a parliamentary group. It is unclear how the split will affect the work of the Patt-regierung. According to Thuringian Abgeordnetengesetz (law on parliamentary members), the three politicians can request the formation of a parliamentary group if they join together and do not achieve the strength of a Fraktion.

They must belong to the same party or list and not form a politically homogeneous group within an existing Fraktion. With at least five members, they could form a group with fewer rights than a Fraktion but more opportunities in parliamentary affairs than individual politicians.