2:30 p.m. | Congratulations from the SPD and the Left to König
The SPD parliamentary group in the state parliament extends its congratulations to Thadäus König on his election as the new state parliament president. Chairman Lutz Liebscher stated that the parliamentary group is firmly committed to supporting him. He also congratulated the three new vice presidents.
The Left parliamentary group in the state parliament also conveyed its congratulations to König. Chairman Christian Schaft noted that the new President of the State Parliament has an essential role as the guardian of the constitutional body of the State Parliament and as a moderator in challenging circumstances. He also congratulated the deputy presidents of the state parliament.
1:45 p.m. | AfD: election proposal at the next opportunity
The AfD parliamentary group announced that it would nominate another candidate for the position of State Parliament Vice President at the next available opportunity. The AfD’s parliamentary director, Braga, expressed disappointment to MDR THÜRINGEN after the state parliament session that MP Muhsal was not elected for the position, stating she is a qualified candidate and that the reasons for her rejection are not credible.
The 38-year-old is politically contentious, partly because she was previously fined for fraud. Consequently, her candidacy was viewed as a provocation by other factions. Muhsal can theoretically run in a second round. Braga indicated that the AfD parliamentary group would present a nomination at the next opportunity.
12:52 p.m. | Session ended
After the decision on the formation of committees, the agenda is processed. König thanked the MPs for “today’s constructive meeting” and adjourned the session.
12:46 p.m. | No lunch break
König proposed a 20-minute lunch break, but this did not receive majority support, and the session continued. Following a vote on the number of members of the Council of Elders in the last few minutes, the election verification committee, the petitions committee, and the European Committee still need to be established and filled.
12:25 p.m. | Election of the secretary
The state parliament elected secretaries from among the parliamentary groups. The political groups have the right to propose representatives according to their size. The nominations were voted on by a show of hands. The proposed candidates received votes only from their respective parliamentary groups, while opposing groups did not participate in the voting. Based on the vote, the AfD can have seven secretaries, the CDU five, the BSW three, the Left two, and the SPD one.
12:18 p.m. | Vice presidential election: Muhsal (AfD) fails
Here are the results of the vice presidential election:
Wiebke Muhsal (AfD): 32 yes, 41 no, 14 abstentions
The MP did not receive a majority of votes. State Parliament President König inquired whether the AfD parliamentary group wanted to repeat the election with candidate Muhsal, but Deputy Braga declined on behalf of the group, stating: “Not for today.” The group reserves the right to request a repeat election in a future state parliament session.
Steffen Quasebarth (BSW): 59 yes, 12 no, 15 abstentions
Quasebarth stated that he accepts the election.
Lena Sanye Güngör (The Left): 46 yes, 34 no, 6 abstentions
Sanye Güngör declared that she accepts the election.
Cornelia Urban (SPD): 63 yes, 14 no, 9 abstentions
Urban announced that she accepts the election.
11:58 am | Counting begins
Voting for the vice presidential election has concluded, and the votes are now being counted.
11:50 a.m. | DGB welcomes König’s election
The DGB Hesse-Thuringia welcomed König’s election, calling it a positive sign that a representative of the workforce within the CDU is assuming this important role as the representative of the highest constitutional body in Thuringia, according to Michael Rudolph, chairman of the DGB Hesse-Thuringia.
11:45 a.m. | CDU state leader Voigt calls König “Citizen President”
Thuringia’s CDU leader, Mario Voigt, referred to the newly elected state parliament president Thadäus König as the “Citizen President” for Thuringia. He emphasized that during a time when parliament faces significant challenges, it is crucial to have a state parliament president who can mediate, build bridges, and advocate for democratic values.
11:12 am | Election of vice presidents begins
The election of the vice presidents is now underway. Proposed candidates from the parliamentary groups include:
- Steffen Quasebarth (BSW)
- Lena Sanye Güngör (The Left)
- Cornelia Urban (SPD)
- Wiebke Muhsal (AfD)
As a new ballot paper must be printed including Muhsal’s name, the meeting is adjourned for 15 minutes. The CDU is not submitting a nomination as it is currently providing the president of the state parliament.
10:55 am | König’s inaugural speech: Accept the office with humility and respect
König expressed his sincere gratitude for the trust placed in him by the majority during the election as President of the State Parliament. He described it as a pleasure and an honor to serve as the President of the Thuringian State Parliament for the next five years. He approaches the role with humility and respect for the challenges that lie ahead. He thanked his predecessors, noting their service for the benefit of the Free State of Thuringia, specifically mentioning Birgit Pommer (The Left) and Christian Carius (CDU). He remarked that Carius’s departure from the state parliament several years ago allowed him, König, to step in as the successor to the CDU parliamentary group. He emphasized that the President’s role is to facilitate and encourage discussion in Parliament while ensuring order and fairness during debates.
Thadäus König Elected as State Parliament President: Summary of Events
2:30 p.m. | Congratulations from the SPD and the Left to König
The SPD parliamentary group in the state parliament congratulates the new state parliament president, Thadäus König, on his election. Chairman Lutz Liebscher stated that the parliamentary group expressly assured him of its support. He also congratulated the three new vice presidents.
The Left parliamentary group in the state parliament expressed their congratulations as well. Chairman Christian Schaft announced that the new President of the State Parliament would have an important task as a guardian of the constitutional body of the State Parliament and as a moderator under difficult conditions. Congratulations also went to the deputy presidents of the state parliament.
1:45 p.m. | AfD: Election Proposal at the Next Opportunity
The AfD parliamentary group announced that it would make another nomination for the office of State Parliament Vice President at the next opportunity. The parliamentary director of the AfD, Braga, expressed disappointment that MP Wiebke Muhsal was not elected for the office. He stated she is a suitable candidate, and the reasons for her rejection are not plausible.
Wiebke Muhsal is politically controversial and has a checkered past, including a sentence for fraud a few years ago. This context led the other factions to perceive her personnel proposal as a provocation. Muhsal can theoretically run again in a second round; Braga stated that the AfD parliamentary group would submit an election proposal at the next opportunity.
12:52 p.m. | Session Ended
After the formation of the committees was confirmed, the agenda was processed. König thanked the MPs for “today’s constructive meeting” before closing the session.
12:46 p.m. | No Lunch Break
König suggested a 20-minute lunch break, which did not receive a majority. The session continued with voting on the number of members of the Council of Elders, followed by the election verification committee, the petitions committee, and the European Committee to be formed and filled.
12:25 p.m. | Election of the Secretary
The state parliament elected secretaries from the parliamentary groups. The political groups have the right to propose representatives depending on their strength, with nominations voted on by a show of hands. Here’s the breakdown of the proposed secretaries:
| Party | Number of Secretaries |
|---|---|
| AfD | 7 |
| CDU | 5 |
| BSW | 3 |
| The Left | 2 |
| SPD | 1 |
12:18 p.m. | Vice Presidential Election: Muhsal (AfD) Fails
Here are the results of the election of the vice presidents:
The MP did not receive a majority of votes. Président König asked the AfD parliamentary group if they would like the election to be repeated with Muhsal as the candidate. Deputy Braga denied this saying, “Not for today,” thus reserving the right to request a repeat of the election in a later session.
Quasebarth declared that he accepts the election.
Sanye Güngör declared that she accepts the election.
Urban declared that she accepts the election.
11:58 a.m. | Counting Begins
Voting for the vice presidential election has ended, and the votes are now being counted.
11:50 a.m. | DGB Welcomes König’s Election
The DGB Hesse-Thuringia welcomed König’s election as an encouraging sign that a representative of the workforce in the CDU is taking on the role of the highest constitutional body in Thuringia. Michael Rudolph, chairman of the DGB Hesse-Thuringia, commented positively on this development.
11:45 a.m. | CDU State Leader Voigt Calls König “Citizen President”
Thuringia’s CDU leader Mario Voigt lauded the newly elected state parliament president, Thadäus König, referring to him as the “Citizen President” for Thuringia. In times of significant challenges, it’s crucial for Thuringia to have a president who can mediate, build bridges, and uphold democratic values.
11:12 a.m. | Election of Vice Presidents Begins
The election of the vice presidents commenced, following proposals from the parliamentary groups:
- Steffen Quasebarth (BSW)
- Lena Sanye Güngör (Die Linke)
- Cornelia Urban (SPD)
- Wiebke Muhsal (AfD)
As a new ballot paper must be prepared with Muhsal’s name, a 15-minute adjournment was called. The CDU did not submit an election proposal because it was already providing the president of the state parliament.
10:55 a.m. | König’s Inaugural Speech: Accept the Office with Humility and Respect
In his inaugural speech, König expressed gratitude for the trust placed in him by the majority during the presidential election. He stated, “It would be a pleasure and an honor” to serve as President of the Thuringian State Parliament for the next five years. He accepted the role with humility and respect, acknowledging the challenges that lie ahead.
