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Ramelow had proposed that the 61-year-old Lieberknecht be head of a "technical government" with three ministers for 70 days. It should prepare new elections. Ramelow wants to open a non-partisan way that is acceptable to everyone as a "contribution to stabilizing the country," he said. The sentence from his government statement in December was that now was "the hour of more democracy and less party book". The surprising move could benefit the left-wing politician in new elections, ARD reporter says . Because Ramelow shows "human size".
The SPD praised the "very good proposal" in the words of the Thuringian head of state Wolfgang Tiefensee. He paid Ramelow "high respect". Party friend Karl Lauterbach was equally positive. He spoke on Twitter of a "relief".
The CDU negotiator, Mario Vogt, reacted cautiously to the idea: the proposal would be weighed up. "The main principle of the CDU is that we want reliability and stability for the country." The CDU had previously signaled that it was not interested in new elections. The background should also be that, according to surveys, it has lost a lot of favor with voters.
The CDU member of the Bundestag from Saxony, Marian Wendt, praised the ARD morning magazine Ramelow. "This solution helps Thuringia, the CDU and, above all, the voters." Wendt "does not want to take a small picture" of the party's incompatibility decision not to work with the AfD or the left. He sees no cooperation with the left in a possible choice by Lieberknecht. "It is crucial that it is not Bodo Ramelow or the Left Party that should be elected, but an independent candidate - Christine Lieberknecht."
CDU Presidium member Annette Widmann-Mauz asked rbb to discuss the Ramelow proposal "very seriously".
Even the Greens were initially not enthusiastic about Ramelow's push. They continue to prefer the variant "that an effective government under Bodo Ramelow is quickly established," said state spokeswoman Ann-Sophie Bohm-Eisenbrandt. In the morning, faction leader Dirk Adams declared his support for the initiative and expressed the expectation in the MDR that this proposal could lead the country out of the government crisis. The Greens barely got into the state parliament in the past elections.
Green Party leader Annalena Baerbock also welcomed the Ramelow initiative: "Respect. This is how responsible action in the spirit of democracy works, dear CDU," she wrote on Twitter.
Lieberknecht was head of government in Thuringia from 2009 to 2014 and led a coalition between the CDU and SPD. After the state elections in 2014, the SPD opted for an alliance with the left and the Greens. This led to a change of power, even though the CDU remained the strongest parliamentary group at the time.
Lieberknecht has been said to have a good relationship with Ramelow for many years. In the election for prime minister in 2009, Ramelow jumped to her side after two unsuccessful ballots and ensured that the ranks closed with his candidacy in the third ballot.
The 61-year-old theologian is like many East German politicians who made a career after reunification. For some, the pastor, who comes from Weimar, with her rather presidential style and trouser suits, is seen as a regional counterpart to Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU). Lieberknecht is considered down to earth. Her good instinct is said to be for the right measure and for moods.
The political crisis in Thuringia was triggered by the debacle in the Prime Minister election on February 5. That day, the election of the FDP politician Thomas Kemmerich, with votes from the CDU, FDP and, to a large extent, the AfD as prime minister, caused a political earthquake. The 54-year-old resigned three days later. Since then, Kemmerich has been managing director without a minister until a new prime minister is elected.
