coalitions
Thuringia: Kemmerich does not want a coalition with the Greens
Cannot imagine a coalition with the Greens: Thuringia’s FDP leader Thomas Kemmerich. photo
© Martin Schutt/dpa
A coalition with four parties in Thuringia? The Greens faction leader in Erfurt can imagine that. A rejection comes from the FDP.
Ex-short-term prime minister and state FDP leader Thomas Kemmerich does not want to form a coalition with the Greens in Thuringia. “I actually don’t see the possibility of working together with the Greens in a solution-oriented manner – for Thuringia, at the state level,” said Kemmerich of the German Press Agency. In any case, it is questionable whether the Greens will make it into the Thuringian state parliament again.
A few days earlier, the leader of the Greens, Astrid Rothe-Beinlich, had signaled openness to government alliances with more than three partners. “I see that as a responsibility of democrats when it comes to making a country governable,” Rothe-Beinlich said. In the event of a difficult election result, one must consider how democrats can forge an alliance against the AfD, which is classified as a right-wing extremist in Thuringia.
“Big, Insurmountable Differences”
Kemmerich rejected a possible four-party coalition with the FDP and the Greens. He said there were “big, insurmountable differences” – for example in education policy, on the issue of inclusion and also in climate protection.
The 58-year-old failed to form a government in Thuringia in 2020. At that time, Kemmerich was elected Prime Minister with votes from the CDU, AfD and FDP and accepted the election. A day later, after public pressure, he announced his resignation, which he completed three days later – without having appointed a cabinet minister. Prime Minister Bodo Ramelow (left) is now leading a minority government made up of leftists, the SPD and the Greens.
Looking at the latest polls, Thuringia could once again find itself in a situation where it is extremely difficult to form a government. Most recently, the politically isolated AfD was in first place. However, there is still a lot of time: The Thuringian state parliament is to be elected regularly in autumn 2024. Kemmerich would then like to start again as the top candidate of the FDP.