Thuringia’s Interior Minister Georg Maier of the SPD has strongly condemned a recent call by Sahra Wagenknecht, leader of the BSW (Alternative for Germany), for an end to the exclusion of the AfD party. Maier voiced his concerns to the Handelsblatt newspaper, stating that Wagenknecht’s remarks appear aimed at deliberately undermining the stability of the Thuringian coalition government.
Thuringia is currently governed by a coalition comprised of the BSW, CDU and SPD. A core tenet of this governing agreement explicitly prohibits any form of collaboration with the AfD, a position which, according to Maier, was reaffirmed by Frank Augsten, the BSW’s parliamentary group leader in Thuringia, just last Friday. He emphasized the ongoing, trusting working relationship within the cabinet.
Maier asserted that external commentary, referencing Wagenknecht’s statements, will not impede the government’s efforts to advance the state through effective governance.
Wagenknecht recently suggested openness to discussions with the AfD. While acknowledging that direct talks are not presently underway, she characterized such speculation as largely speculative. However, when questioned about potential future dialogue with AfD co-leader Tino Chrupalla, mirroring a recent interaction between the BSW’s parliamentary group leader and Chrupalla, Wagenknecht responded affirmatively, suggesting she believes such engagement can be considered a natural aspect of democratic processes.