First talks in sight in Thuringia to explore possible future government coalitions at the regional level. Representatives of Cdu, Bsw and Spd announced today that the first meetings will be held later this week, but did not provide precise dates. Mario Voigt, local Spitzenkandidat of the Cdu, spoke of "talks to assess options" to clarify the "substantial basis" for possible cooperation. These are not yet exploratory talks, the Cdu representative added to reporters in Erfurt. These are more informal preliminary talks that his party will hold with the Spd and the Bsw. Katja Wolf of the Bsw also confirmed a meeting this week. The talks should be launched 'as soon as possible', she said, stressing that these are not exploratory talks.
The seats in the Thuringian parliament are 88, the majority needed to govern is 45. A coalition between the Christian Democrats of the Cdu (23.6% of the vote, 23 seats), the Social Democrats of the Spd (6.1%, 6 seats) and the Bsw, Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (15.8%, 15 seats), would make it possible to put together 44 seats, one less than necessary. The Cdu has ruled out the possibility of entering into a coalition with the Afd, the leading party, which wins 32 seats, and with the Linke (13.1% and 12 seats), with which it could reach a majority by also allying itself with the Bsw.
Former regional prime minister Bodo Ramelow (Linke) seemed open to this possibility, to that of a possible alliance or that of 'tolerance' with regard to a minority government of Cdu, Bsw and Spd. "I will do everything to ensure that there is a majority government," he said in Erfurt. And when asked about a minority government, he replied: "I don't have to speculate, I'm ready for solutions and I don't participate in exclusion".
