Thuringian Digital Minister Steffen Schütz of the BSW sharply criticized the pressure being exerted by the party’s federal leadership on the regional Thuringian branch. Speaking to RTL and ntv, Schütz argued: “It cannot be acceptable that the executive board of a democratic party basically ultimatively demands and threatens elected members if they express their own opinions.”
The conflict arose when the federal party leadership urged the Thuringian BSW-Landesverband to withdraw confidence in Minister-President Mario Voigt (CDU) following the annulment of his doctoral title. However, the Thuringian BSW united in full support of Voigt.
Schütz accused the federal leadership of engaging in power calculations. “I believe this is about attention. It is not about Thuringia; it is about power calculation. It is about power games,” he stated. Despite the internal party strife, he emphasized that the Thuringian BSW faction views the coalition with the CDU as a successful “team effort.” “We want to move this country forward. We do not want to be last,” he added.
Regarding the threats originating from Berlin-that the Thuringian regional branch could be expelled from the party-Schütz expressed a calm skepticism. “It would be a unique event in the history of the Federal Republic of Germany for the national party to divest itself of a regional branch,” he remarked, qualifying that they still operate within a rule of law state. Furthermore, he suggested that the debate over the leadership in Berlin distracts from the actual issues. “I worry significantly more about how things continue there than about debates that lead to discussions about power calculations. I do not want that, and I believe the Thuringians do not want it either.”
