The state chancellery of Thuringia’s Prime Minister Ramelow has accused the CDU of having made targeted agreements with the AfD regarding the passed tax cut. The CDU general secretary had previously assured that there had been no contact.
The State Chancellery of Thuringia’s Prime Minister Bodo Ramelow (Left) has accused the CDU and FDP of targeted agreements with the AfD to implement tax cuts. The CDU had previously assured that there had been no agreements or contact with the AfD.
In an interview with the Berlin “Tagesspiegel” newspaper, State Chancellor Benjamin-Immanuel Hoff (Left) answered in the affirmative when asked whether he had any evidence of concrete agreements between the two parties. “The CDU, FDP and AfD coordinated specifically on Thursday,” he continued. “At the same time, separate items were taken off the agenda so that the property transfer tax could then be dealt with.”
All three parties jointly made the recommendation for a resolution in the budget committee. The AfD had also made it publicly clear in advance that it would support the project, said Hoff. The head of the State Chancellery added: “There have been agreements for some time that are obvious.”
The opposition CDU was able to push through a reduction in the real estate transfer tax in the state parliament on Thursday because the right-wing extremist AfD, the FDP and non-attached MPs agreed – the red-red-green government does not have its own majority. Both CDU state and parliamentary group leader Mario Voigt and federal chairman Friedrich Merz then declared that there had been no agreements with the AfD. Secretary General Carsten Linnemann said: “There was zero contact with the AfD.”
Gauck sees no reason for criticism of the CDU
Former Federal President Joachim Gauck has now also spoken out in the discussion about the CDU’s approach to the vote. He sees no reason to criticize the behavior of the Christian Democrats. “I would immediately scream out loud if there were votes in the Union to form a coalition with this AfD or to make substantial agreements,” said Gauck in Berlin at an event organized by the news portal “The Pioneer”. “But when I look at it soberly, I don’t see a course being set.”
“If you are not suspected of forming a coalition with them, then sometimes it can happen on issues like it does now,” explained the former head of state. “There is no serious evidence that they intend to form a coalition with this AfD.”
Gauck believes the debate about the decision in Thuringia is necessary. “If election campaigns are looming now, then topics like these can be put to good use,” said the former Federal President. “It doesn’t hurt us if we argue about such things. It hurts us if we stay silent about it.”