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🇩🇪 Germany /Elections & Politics

Thuringia Government Crisis: SPD Will Stay in Coalition Despite BSW Breakup

From Die Zeit · () German

Translated from German and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

Newswire From a news agency Ongoing story
  • SPD state leader Georg Maier said the party would remain in Thuringia’s coalition government despite the collapse of much of the BSW parliamentary group.
  • The coalition could lose its previous 44-seat position in the 88-seat state parliament and may need support from the opposition Left.
  • The SPD’s youth wing called for a new coalition agreement with stronger social-democratic priorities.

Thuringia’s SPD has decided to stay in the state government despite the planned dissolution of the BSW parliamentary group. “The SPD remains in the coalition,” state party leader and Interior Minister Georg Maier told the German Press Agency in Erfurt. He said the party stood in the government for reliability, a clear position and the determination to shape policy.

The SPD remains in the coalition.

· Georg MaierThe SPD state leader confirmed that the party would stay in Thuringia’s governing coalition despite the BSW parliamentary group’s planned dissolution.

The decision followed a lengthy meeting of the SPD’s state executive and district leaders in Erfurt. The party had met to address the government crisis after most members of the BSW parliamentary group left Sahra Wagenknecht’s party. The CDU, BSW and SPD have governed Thuringia together since the end of 2024.

The coalition’s parliamentary position has weakened. It previously held 44 of the 88 seats in the state parliament, but that number could fall to 39 in the worst case. The SPD again demanded a binding format for talks with the Left parliamentary group, whose support the government may now need more often.

The SPD stands in this government for reliability, a clear position and the determination to shape policy.

· Georg MaierMaier described the role the Social Democrats intend to play in the coalition.

The Social Democrats said the CDU must resolve the contradiction between its practical policy of refusing cooperation with the Left and the need to reach parliamentary agreements. CDU Minister President Mario Voigt called the SPD’s decision “an important signal for Thuringia’s ability to act and its stability.”

An important signal for Thuringia’s ability to act and its stability.

· Mario VoigtThe CDU minister president welcomed the SPD’s decision to remain in government.

Former BSW members around Deputy Minister President Katja Wolf have formed a new party, and plan to establish a new parliamentary group on Wednesday. Wolf says this will restore the government’s ability to function. The SPD said the existing coalition agreement would remain the basis, provided its goals are implemented and democratic majorities can be organized. The Jusos, however, said the government needed a new agreement with stronger social-democratic priorities.

The basis remains the existing coalition agreement. For the SPD, it is crucial that its goals are implemented, that Thuringia remains able to act and that democratic majorities can be organized.

· Markus GiebeThe SPD’s state executive described the conditions for continuing the coalition.
About this summary

Originally published by Die Zeit in German. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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