The internal conflict within the Thuringian BSW party has escalated. During midday, the state parliament faction announced that, following intensive consultations, they had unanimously decided to continue the governing coalition and the work of the government. However, shortly after this statement, protests emerged from within the party ranks.
Members of the state parliament, Anke Wirsing and Sven Küntzel, indicated they felt blindsided by the resolution. In a joint statement, they argued, “A decision of such enormous political weight should not have been placed on the agenda orally this morning.” They added that such a choice should have been properly submitted as a written proposal and a binding basis for discussion on the extended schedule, allowing all faction members adequate time for preparation.
Despite the official stance, the reported majority figures did not reflect the actual positions of the entire faction. Sven Küntzel had previously informed the assembly that he could only attend partially, and during the debate, he explicitly supported the decision of the BSW federal executive board, which called for the end of the coalition.
Similarly, Anke Wirsing, who had announced her absence as early as the previous Thursday, did not wish to deviate from her stance taken within the federal board. She remained committed to the decision made by the party leadership, which she had participated in developing. Wirsing and Küntzel noted that both members’ absences and voting behavior were known to everyone present beforehand.
Although this appears to be a minor dispute within the faction, it could potentially destabilize the Thuringian coalition. The alliance, comprising the CDU, BSW, and SPD, holds only 44 seats in parliament-a number equal to the combined strength of the AfD and the Left party.
