Erfurt
Photo: Steffen Prößdorf, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons, cropped)
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- 5d ago
CDU presidium promises cheaper electricity for all after eastern state election defeats
The CDU presidium ended a two-day retreat in Berlin on Monday, 12 October, with a paper calling for a lower electricity tax for everyone. Chancellor Friedrich Merz admitted a crisis of trust after the party's September state election defeats.
- Oct 7
Thuringian parliament rejects AfD motion to dissolve state assembly
Lawmakers in Erfurt voted 34 to defeat an Alternative for Germany motion to dissolve the state parliament, falling far short of the 59 votes required for a two-thirds majority.
- Oct 6
Environmental group report finds diesel still powers 70% of city buses in Germany
A review of municipal transport by Deutsche Umwelthilfe shows that only three of Germany's largest cities had electrified more than half of their bus fleets as of December 2025.
- Oct 2
Thuringia minority coalition agrees on parliamentary voting rules with Die Linke
Following the collapse of the BSW state group, the minority administration of Minister-President Mario Voigt in Thuringia established an unsigned procedural framework with the opposition Left Party to organize parliamentary majorities in Erfurt.
- Sep 30
Thuringian parliament holds Germany's first hearing on banning the AfD
The Judiciary Committee in Erfurt debated constitutional thresholds with eight legal experts and entertainer Hape Kerkeling.
- Sep 26
German health minister proposes reducing child sick days to pre-pandemic level
Federal Health Minister Carsten Linnemann plans to let expanded pandemic-era leave expire, returning the entitlement to 10 days per parent despite opposition from state ministers.
- Sep 20
Thuringia Linke urges Mario Voigt to call confidence vote after BSW collapse leaves coalition with 39 votes
At a state party congress in Erfurt, Die Linke demanded that Thuringia Minister-President Mario Voigt either establish a stable governing path or face a parliamentary vote of confidence, following the collapse of the BSW governing faction.
- Sep 13
Naturalization wait times across Thuringia range from three months to two years
A survey across Thuringia reveals citizenship processing times between three months and two years, following a 39 percent increase in naturalizations after federal residency requirements were shortened.
- Sep 11
Christina Stumpp steps down as CDU deputy general secretary following party leadership talks
Chancellor Friedrich Merz nominated 41-year-old lawmaker Michael Hose to replace Christina Stumpp, who will leave the party post on 21 September.
- Sep 11
German cinemas offer five-euro tickets for nationwide Kinofest weekend
Movie theaters across Germany are offering five-euro admission for all screenings on Saturday and Sunday during the annual Kinofest promotion.
- Sep 6
Thuringian Lawmakers Dissolve BSW Group and Form Thüringen.Gerecht to Back Voigt Coalition
Ten former BSW state parliamentarians in Erfurt have established the parliamentary group Thüringen.Gerecht to preserve Minister-President Mario Voigt's minority coalition after splitting with Sahra Wagenknecht.
- Sep 5
Thuringia logs 47 forest fires through August as spruce cover declines to 31%
State forestry agency Thüringenforst recorded 47 wildfires across 11.4 hectares between March and August 2026, exceeding the annual average of 28 fires as recurring dry periods strain native tree species.
- Aug 28
Thuringia Landtag rejects Björn Höcke's no-confidence motion against Mario Voigt
AfD faction leader Björn Höcke secured 33 votes in a secret ballot in Erfurt, falling 12 short of the 45 required to oust CDU Minister-President Mario Voigt.
- Aug 22
Mario Voigt wins re-election as Thuringia CDU leader with 82.4% ahead of no-confidence vote
Thuringia Minister-President Mario Voigt won 82.4% of the vote at a party congress in Eisenach to remain CDU state leader, days before facing an AfD-led motion of no confidence in the state parliament.
- Aug 17
Thuringia coalition holds as BSW state branch resists federal demand to oust Voigt
Thuringia's three-party government reaffirmed its stability after 13 of 15 BSW state lawmakers rejected a federal executive demand to break with CDU Premier Mario Voigt, planning a special party congress to address the dispute.
- Aug 16
Wagenknecht dares Höcke to live debate after his offer to elect her as Thuringian Minister President
BSW founder Sahra Wagenknecht has publicly challenged Thuringian AfD leader Björn Höcke to a live debate, days after Höcke offered AfD votes to elect her as Minister President of Thuringia.
- Aug 13
BSW federal board demands Thuringian minister president Voigt resign over revoked doctorate
The BSW federal board has demanded the immediate resignation of Thuringian Minister President Mario Voigt (CDU) over his revoked doctorate, but the party's own state branch is resisting the call while the AfD's Björn Höcke pushes for an independent replacement.
- Aug 11
SPD working group demands special party conference to replace co-chairs Bas and Klingbeil
An SPD working group has called for an extraordinary party conference in autumn 2026 to replace co-chairs Bärbel Bas and Lars Klingbeil, citing the party's 12% polling low and what it calls a failed dual-role leadership structure.
- Aug 11
Rescue exercise in Thuringia's Sandbergtunnel exposes 127-minute delay and fax-based emergency alerts
A large-scale rescue exercise in Thuringia's Sandbergtunnel on 8 August exposed severe failures in emergency communication, with alerting delays of over two hours and control centers still relying on fax machines.
- Aug 9
"Jesus Christ Superstar" premiere sells out Erfurt's Domstufen-Festspiele with 44,000 tickets
The rock opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice opened at the Domstufen-Festspiele to a standing ovation, with nearly all 44,000 tickets for 21 performances already sold and only waitlists remaining.
