This #Thueringen issue is going to play v badly for both FDP and CDU, and well for the AfD
It looks like both Kemmerich (FDP) and Mohring (FDP) knew exactly what they’re doing. They knew the plan to elect Kemmerich as Ministerpräsident would only work with AfD support. They can’t wash their hands of the AfD now
But then, it seems, the game the two of them played in Erfurt either wasn’t fully OKed by the FDP and CDU party HQs in Berlin, or (less likely) the parties don’t know how to reply.
AKK (CDU) has just been accosted by journalists in Strasbourg and offered no reply. Lindner (FDP) has so far said nothing. Not clever by either of them.
Meanwhile AfD crow that a taboo has been broken, and they’re right. The Grüne, SPD and Linke point out the dirty game played by CDU and FDP and they’re right too.
The electoral calculation makes no sense for the CDU - they’ll lose more votes in western Germany because they collaborated with the AfD than they’ll gain back from the AfD. That it wasn’t the CDU getting the Ministerpräsident post doesn’t matter.
I’m not sure how many people don’t see the FDP as opportunist already, so this fits that pattern. But this little game does not help them look like a party of government either.
And - judging by the ferocity of reactions - I doubt Kemmerich is going to be able to put together a cabinet anyway. So this little game has damaged a lot, for what gain?
Today is a dark day as the cordon sanitaire around the AfD has broken. But short term this is going to damage the two parties - CDU and FDP - that conspired to break it. Medium term... it’s less clear.
/ends
/ends
(Error here - Mohring is CDU, not FDP)
