Johannes Hillje does not rule out a Thuringian alliance. In an interview, the expert explains how far cooperation between BSW and AfD could go.
In the middle of the exchange of blows, when the Thuringian top candidates were discussing and arguing with each other in the MDR TV round, Katja Wolf said the dreaded words: She could imagine a collaboration with the AfD, the BSW-Top candidate – not in a joint coalition, but in individual initiatives. The “blinkers” in dealing with the AfD are “no longer up to date,” says Wolf – and this leaves many questions unanswered. AfD expert Johannes Hillje explains how far cooperation between the two parties could go.
Interview with Johannes Hillje about BSW and AfD
Mr. Hillje, the BSW wants to approve AfD initiatives. Is the Höcke-Wagenknecht pact coming now?
We can now see that the BSW in Thuringia has moved from distancing itself from the AfD to becoming closer. Let us remember the promise that Sahra Wagenknecht made to her voters when she founded her party: it was about making a more serious offer than the AfD and thereby stealing votes from it. That clearly did not work in Thuringia. The AfD is still as strong as it was at the beginning of the year. And now Katja Wolf says that she can imagine pushing through laws with the AfD – this shows a contradiction in the BSW’s approach.
Can we still believe Wagenknecht when she says: no coalition with the AfD?
Hard to say. If the BSW is open to forming a joint majority with the AfD, then it accepts a right-wing extremist party as a legitimate democratic partner. That is the AfD’s goal. Why then shouldn’t the BSW also tolerate an AfD minority government? Another turnaround is also interesting: in 2019, Wagenknecht thought it was wrong that Kemmerich was elected prime minister with AfD votes. Today, this option is left open.
What do we conclude from this?
We cannot rule out that the BSW will ultimately tolerate a Prime Minister Höcke – nor can we be sure that the BSW will not secure office with AfD votes. The BSW is deliberately keeping all options open. It is a black box when dealing with the AfD – a right-wing extremist party in Thuringia.
On which issues could BSW and AfD work together?
In terms of domestic politics, the two parties are hardly distinguishable from each other in some areas, especially on the issue of migration. The BSW and AfD also take a very similar line on the war in Ukraine: against support for Ukraine, against US medium-range missiles in Germany, and understanding for Vladimir Putin. The third issue is climate policy: both parties are against further climate protection measures. And then there are many smaller overlaps in the election manifestos. For example, on gender issues or the digitalization of schools.
The AfD’s poll high in Saxony
Shortly before the Saxony election According to Insa, the AfD and CDU are in a close race. According to the report, the AfD would receive 32 percent, ahead of the CDU (29) and BSW (15). the attitude towards the Ukraine war: SPD General Secretary Kevin Kühnert accuses the CDU of putting its position on Ukraine on hold because of the election. The Union has long driven the traffic light coalition with ever new demands for arms deliveries – now it is “on diving station” gone. Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer (CDU) has sharply criticized statements by BSW head Sahra Wagenknecht on coalitions: “This is unbelievable. Politicians are first and foremost obliged to their voters.” She had said that the BSW would only participate in a government that I clearly reject the stationing of US missiles.
The AfD and the firewall
The BSW argues that the firewall is what made the AfD stronger in the first place. Is that true?
The AfD cannot be weakened in the short term – that requires staying power. The firewall only works in the long term. Basically, the AfD can only lose popularity when voters realize that their vote has been wasted on the AfD. Because it cannot push through its issues and proposals because no one wants to work with the party. Voters must realize that the AfD lacks political power, and this process takes time – several elections. But this is precisely the kind of stamina that the BSW lacks.
But the firewall is also crumbling within the CDU.
Mario Voigt also does not rule out the possibility of allowing the AfD to tolerate his CDU in a minority government. He also recently indicated that there could be CDU and AfD majorities in the next state parliament as long as CDU issues are discussed. There, too, there is a lack of stamina in the fight against right-wing extremism.
Interview: Kathrin Braun
#BSW #AfD #closer