Thuringia
AfD vs. CDU: Dispute over committee of inquiry
Björn Höcke (AfD) is unelectable for the CDU. photo
© Michael Reichel/dpa
The AfD wants to make Björn Höcke deputy chairman of a U-committee – much to the annoyance of the CDU, which does not want to elect the politician. But the position has to be filled.
The Thuringian CDU parliamentary group has accused the AfD of blocking the work of the committee by nominating their controversial parliamentary group leader Björn Höcke as vice-chairman for an investigative committee.
“Mr. Höcke cannot be elected for the CDU, and the AfD is also aware of that,” said CDU faction leader Mario Voigt after a statement. “By nominating their proven right-wing extremist faction leader, the AfD is helping the Ramelow government to further delay the clarification of their position affair.”
Committee of Inquiry unable to work
The background is the composition of a newly appointed committee of inquiry, which is intended to clarify possible mistakes and omissions by the red-red-green state government in important personnel decisions. The minority government of Prime Minister Bodo Ramelow (left) has been under massive criticism for months because of an audit report by the state audit office.
In Thuringia, committees of inquiry without an elected chair and deputy chair are considered incapable of working. For the committee of inquiry into the state government’s personnel policy, the left has the right to propose the chair and the AfD has the right to propose the post of deputy chair.
Proposal heavily criticized
It is questionable whether Höcke will get the necessary majority in parliament for election to the committee. The Thuringian AfD regional association is classified and observed by the state constitutional protection as a proven right-wing extremist effort. In the past, AfD candidates have repeatedly failed in elections for certain bodies.
CDU faction leader Voigt accused the AfD of helping the red-red-green coalition with their actions. Höcke’s nomination torpedoes the work of Parliament. “The only one who benefits from this maneuver is Mr. Ramelow. Without the committee of inquiry, the violations committed under the responsibility of the Ramelow government cannot be systematically investigated,” said Voigt.
In the audit report of the state audit office, the state government is accused of systematic and serious violations of the rules for hiring civil servants. When hiring state secretaries, for example, the best selection is said to have been ignored.
In January it became known that the public prosecutor’s office in Erfurt was investigating the initial suspicion of infidelity. The state government partially acknowledged omissions, but also insists on a different legal opinion.