Trouble about the AfD in Thuringia: The CDU opposition apparently got crucial help from Björn Höcke’s group in a tax project.
Erfurt – More than three years after the Kemmerich case, another scandal is brewing in Thuringia CDUFDP and AfD to: The CDU has introduced tax reduction plans. They are now finding their way to a state parliament vote – probably thanks to the support of the AfD in the budget committee. A vote in plenary could take place on Thursday (September 14).
More explosive than the content of the law is the possible cooperation between the CDU and the AfD. The aim is to lower the real estate transfer tax from 6.5 to 5.0 percent. The minority government of Bodo Ramelow’s left with the Greens and SPD is against the project. But she lost out in the budget committee with six to seven votes. The Red-Red-Green Party does not have its own majority in Thuringia – neither do the CDU and FDP. In this respect, the AfD has a crucial role to play.
Thuringia: CDU receives support from the AfD – horror at red-red-green
“The CDU Thuringia is on a socio-political ghost journey and is being guided by an extreme right-wing party,” said the parliamentary group leader left, Steffen Dittes. The coalition had warned the CDU against giving the Thuringia-AfD around Björn Höcke, which the State Office for the Protection of the Constitution classed as right-wing extremists, to give it creative power. Especially in the state budget.
With the votes of the CDU, FDP and AfD, the FDP politician Thomas Kemmerich was briefly elected Prime Minister in 2020. Nationwide shockwaves followed. Even Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) called for a reversal – a process that received much attention. The recent scandal comes just at a time when the CDU – including party leader Friedrich Merz – Struggles to deal with the right-wing populists. Critics see the “fire walls” to the AfD in danger.
The situation in the Thuringian state parliament is particularly fragile. The left holds 29 of a total of 90 seats, the AfD 19. There are also four non-attached MPs who previously belonged to the FDP and AfD. Since the CDU no longer wants to cooperate with the left and all parliamentary groups do not want to cooperate with the AfD, there are no firm majorities in sight for decisions. According to polls, the AfD could become the strongest force in the state elections on September 1, 2024. Last had the extreme Right in the Thuringian town of Sonneberg also her nationwide first district administrator post conquered.
Just on Friday, the judiciary committee of the state parliament also cleared the way for a new indictment of Höcke. He lifted the fascist’s immunity. Except for the AfD MPs, everyone present agreed to this step, like the dpa experienced. The public prosecutor’s office in Mühlhausen accuses Höcke of being guilty of hate speech in 2022 by posting on the social network Telegram. A conviction is likely, it said from committee circles.
AfD could help: CDU defends plans – “Don’t give up because the wrong people threaten approval”
With the tax plans, the CDU parliamentary group is primarily concerned with relieving families when buying real estate and providing impetus for the construction industry, among other things, said its chairman Mario Voigt. “We cannot do without making important and correct decisions for Thuringia just because the wrong ones threaten approval,” he said of the AfD’s voices and the criticism of it. “We cannot accept such red-red-green blackmail attempts.”
The controversial draft law of the CDU has been before the state parliament since March. According to the CDU parliamentary group, it also contains a passage according to which the state should reimburse families with the real estate transfer tax when they purchase their first residential property.
He certainly would have an influence on the Thuringian state budget: According to forecasts, the reduction in land transfer tax can lead to annual revenue losses of between 48 and 60 million euros for the state. Overall, the 2024 budget draft by Finance Minister Heike Taubert (SPD) includes 13.76 billion euros. (fn/dpa)
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