Voigt re-elected as CDU parliamentary group leader in Thuringia election aftermath

Mario Voigt has been unanimously re-elected as the chairman of the CDU parliamentary group in the Thuringian state parliament. Voigt, who has been a member of the state parliament since 2009 and became the group leader in March 2020, received 23 votes in favor.

In addition, Andreas Bühl was confirmed as the parliamentary managing director. Voigt is leading talks for a potential coalition government, aiming to become the prime minister.

Meanwhile, SPD state secretary Katharina Schenk will give up her mandate in the Thuringian state parliament to become a member, which is incompatible with her role as a state secretary. Brandenburg's Minister-President, Dietmar Woidke, is determined to prevent an AfD victory in the upcoming state election.

In the event of an SPD defeat, potential successors include Finance Minister Katrin Lange, Science Minister Manja Schüle, and SPD faction leader Daniel Keller. Despite the AfD leading in the polls, Woidke plans to distance himself from Chancellor Olaf Scholz's campaign due to criticism of the Ampel government.

In Rhein-Erft, Helge Herrwegen is set to become the new SPD chairman, taking over from Heike Steinhäuser. The far-right AfD candidate Hans-Christoph Berndt, known for his extremist views and involvement with the organization Zukunft Heimat, is aiming to become the Minister-President in the event of an AfD victory, although other parties reject the possibility of forming a coalition with the AfD.