Local self -removal

How a regional scandal launched a series of resignations in Germany

Thuringia is one of the smallest lands of Germany, but it was here that the formation of the local government caused a federal conflict and forced Annegret Kramp-Carrenbauer-the only successor to Merkel-to abandon the claims to the post of chancellor.

Last week, Thomas Kemmerich, a candidate from a free democratic party (SDP), was elected new Prime Minister of Thuringia. The problem is that the Kemmerish was voted simultaneously by deputies of the Christian Democratic Union (CDS) and the nationalist “alternative for Germany” (ADG), cooperation with which is a hard taboo for all other parties. As a result, the CDS and free democrats were accused of assisting the nationalists, throughout the country there were protests against the “alternative to Germany”, and Kemmerich resigned, having stayed the Prime Minister for the only day. Now, thuringia is most likely awaiting re -election.

After the October elections in Thuringia, it was not entirely clear how the new parliament, in which the left -wing deputies received a third of the vote (the Left Party), and the quarter to the right -wing populists (ADG) would form the government. All parties of the moderate flank then lost their votes compared to previous elections.

At the same time, it was clear that the cooperation with the “left”-the party-successor of the ruling in the GDR of the socialist unified party of Germany-would not cause delight among the conservative CDS and the right-Processed SDP.

Cooperation with an alternative for Germany is generally an impossible option for any German party.

At least it was still so.

As expected, the formation of the government dragged on. According to the law, the prime minister of Thuringia is a candidate who gained 46 out of 90 votes in the land parliament. If no one receives the absolute majority, then the candidate who received the least votes is left, and the next tour is appointed. The first and second round of elections did not bring results. And in the third, an unexpected happened. “Left”, Social Democrats and “Green” supported Bodo Ramelov, candidate from “Left” and until the middle of last week-the current Prime Minister of Thuringia. HDS and free democrats voted for Thomas Kemmerich. The deputies from the ADG, who participated in the third round, also cast their votes to Kemmerich, providing him with the advanced prime minister.

This happened in the past environment - and caused an instant reaction in Thuringia and abroad. It's not about Kemmerish; The victory with the support of ADG is unacceptable for German politics. Kemmerich won precisely thanks to the Alternative, and then also shook his hand in Bjorn Hecke, the party leader in Thuringia.

Who generally shakes his hand to the nationalists? This outraged everyone.

It is important to make a reservation here. The party field in Germany is varied and recently changing. The Big Coalition parties-that is, ruling at the federal level of the CDS and Social Democrats-consistently lose their voices in most regions in the past few years. The "green" intensifies - as in many countries of Europe. In some places the “left” intensify. Alternative, which in 2017 first went to the Bundestag, is also amplified. But if the CDS and, for example, “green” are competitors, then the CDS and ADG are irreconcilable ideological opponents.

Especially unacceptable for Christian democrats, cooperation with the “alternative” in Thuringia, where right -wing populism is quite drawn to extremism. Bjorn Hecke, heading the branch in Thuringia, is also the leader of the “wing” - the most right separation inside the party itself, which does not cause sympathy even among more moderate single -partyists. Recently, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution included the “wing” to the official list of suspects in the non -compliance of the principles of the Constitution. And hekke himself has repeatedly accused of xenobophia and anti -Semitism - for example, after statements that the “reproductive behavior of Africans” (refugees) threatens the country's national security, or that

The memorial to the victims of the Holocaust is a “monument of shame”, which must be removed,

And to educate children in a more patriotic spirit.

And then suddenly it turned out that the HDS and the “alternative to Germany” supported one candidate. At the same time, it is not clear whether there was some kind of agreement in advance-but if not, the very possibility of such an agreement throws a shadow at the CDS. The stones immediately flew from all sides.

Bodo Ramelov, who was preparing to take the chair of the Prime Minister of Thuringia again, said that CDS and free democrats deceived him. “I gave myself to fool, I thought that I was dealing with the Democrats,” he said.

The historical context of the situation added damage to the image of Christian democrats - in 1930 it was Thuringia that became the first land, where the Nazis managed to come to power at the local level. Ramelov even quoted Hitler’s statement on his Twitter of those times: “Parties in Thuringia, which have so far formed the government, are no longer able to gather the majority without our participation.”

Social Democrats, who have recently disagreed with the CDU, hastened to blame the central leadership of that they did not look at their regional branch. The CDU had to fight back-the party chairman Annegret Kramp-Carrenbauer said that the local department acted contrary to the instructions from Berlin. Angel Merkel, who at that time was on a visit to South Africa, called what happened “a bad day for democracy” and repeated once again that

No joint work with the "alternative" is unacceptable for the CDU.

The heads still flew. On Saturday, Christian Hirte resigned, the authorized government of Germany in the eastern lands and the deputy head of the CDU in Thuringia. Hirte said on Twitter that he made this decision, following the will of Angel Merkel. Before that, Hirte was sharply criticized for congratulating Kemmerich on the election.

Meanwhile, a wave of rallies passed throughout Germany. In Erfurt - the capital of Thuringia - protesters began to gather just a few hours after the election of Kemmerich. Spontaneous rallies also took place in Berlin, Munich, Cologne and other cities. The protesters came out with the slogans “no Nazism” and “no fascism”, and in some cities they painted the buildings of local departments of a free democratic party with these slogans.

Thomas Kemmerich from all sides began to resign. Angela Merkel said that re -election is the best option. The head of the free Democratic Party Christian Linder went to Kemmerich on Tyringia - not with congratulations, but with the same call for resignation. And on Friday, Linder brought to vote in the party the issue of trust in himself. In other things, the one -party members supported him, and Linder himself said that he “underestimated the insidiousness of the Adg” and would advise Thomas Kemmerish to remove the candidacy if he could predict such a result. CDU, CSS and Social Democrats-already jointly-issued a statement in which they called for repeated elections.

“The formation of the government and the political majority at the expense of the votes of ADG we exclude,” the statement said. “This is the decision of all parties included in the coalition at all levels.”

It is already that this is a “sad day for democracy” was stated by Tino Chrupall, the official speaker of the “alternative”, using almost the same wording as the Chancellor. According to her, the call of Kemmerich to resign and re -election is a distortion of the will of voters. “So the party state defeats parliamentarism,” she said.

Be that as it may, Kemmerich made it clear on Friday that he would most likely resign, and on Saturday confirmed this with a message on Twitter: “From that moment I announce my resignation from the post of Prime Minister of Thuringia, the decision comes into force immediately.” Formally, at the same time, he remains the acting so far - until a new prime minister is appointed.

The most likely script is re -election. Two -thirds of the votes of the land parliament can coordinate them by their decision. And it seems that in this situation it will be not difficult to collect two -thirds: all other parties are ready to oppose the “alternatives for Germany” and go to re -election, just not to allow the right populists to participate in making a decision again.