BSW federal board demands Thuringian minister president Voigt resign over revoked doctorate

BSW federal board demands Voigt's resignation

The federal board of the BSW passed a resolution on Thursday 13 August, unanimously with one abstention, demanding the immediate resignation of Thuringian Minister President Mario Voigt (CDU) and an end to the so-called Brombeer-Koalition of CDU, SPD, and BSW in Erfurt. The resolution states that the BSW must not become a majority-provider for a man who places his personal interests above the welfare of the state. The background is the revocation of Voigt's doctorate by TU Chemnitz earlier this year over plagiarism allegations. Voigt's appeal was rejected on Tuesday 11 August, and on Friday 14 August it became known that he has filed a lawsuit against the decision. The BSW federal board, led by co-chairs Fabio De Masi and Amira Mohamed Ali and party founder Sahra Wagenknecht, argues that Voigt damages the office and trust in politics by refusing to step down.

Thuringian BSW branch resists

The Thuringian state branch of the BSW has pushed back against the federal board's demand. State chairwoman Katja Wolf, who serves as finance minister in the state government, told the F.A.Z. that she had not been informed in advance of the federal resolution. She said she personally does not believe instability should be paved in times of social and economic crises.

“Should we decide in the party bodies that we will not comply with the resolution, I will continue my work together with all members of the coalition in the interest of Thuringia.”

Parliamentary secretary Stefan Wogawa called the demand irrelevant for him personally as a member of parliament and said the faction would discuss the resolution on Monday 17 August. He suspected the escalation was deliberately provoked by the federal board to force the state branch to react. CDU secretary general Niklas Waßmann stated that the coalition works well and trustfully under Voigt's leadership and that this will not change.

Höcke's opening

AfD faction leader Björn Höcke responded to the BSW resolution with an open letter to the BSW's state parliament delegates, proposing they jointly search for an independent candidate for the minister presidency who possesses authority, can unite the politically fractured state, and can assemble a majority in the state parliament. The move follows an earlier video by Höcke on Wednesday evening 12 August in which he floated BSW founder Sahra Wagenknecht as a possible minister president. Wagenknecht declined, noting that the majority of those sitting in the Thuringian state parliament on a BSW ticket are in opposition to the federal board and would not elect her.

BSW infrastructure minister Steffen Schütz dismissed Höcke's overture, saying he could well imagine what Höcke meant by his assistance and would prefer to refrain from it. The AfD faction is reportedly preparing a constructive vote of no confidence, which could unseat Voigt only if an alternative candidate is elected with an absolute majority. AfD and BSW could theoretically form that majority in the state parliament. The Brombeer-Koalition lacks its own majority and depends on opposition votes for legislation.

Broader party conflict

The confrontation deepens an already strained relationship between the BSW federal leadership and the Thuringian state branch, the only federal state where the BSW participates in government. De Masi said the party leadership hopes the Thuringians will reconsider and reserves the right to take further measures.

“We will no longer accept that policies undermining the party's credibility are being made on a BSW ticket in the Thuringian state parliament.”

The federal leadership's calls for an independent minister president governing with shifting majorities had previously focused on Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Saxony-Anhalt, where elections are scheduled for autumn. The application of the same model to Thuringia, where the BSW actually governs, marks an escalation in the internal party dispute.