2020 Thuringian government crisis

The 2020 Thuringian government crisis, also known as the Thuringia crisis, was triggered by the election of Thomas Kemmerich (FDP) as Thuringian Minister President with votes from the AfD, CDU and FDP on February 5, 2020. The election attracted considerable national and international attention because, for the first time in the history of the Federal Republic of Germany, a Minister President was elected with votes from a far-right populist party, in this case the AfD.

On February 8, 2020, Kemmerich resigned and served in an acting fashion until Bodo Ramelow was elected Minister President on March 4, 2020. After Kemmerich's election, no members were appointed to the Bundesrat, and he himself also decided not to represent Thuringia there. For four weeks thereafter, the Thuringian State Government consisted only of the Minister President. Kemmerich was accused of neglecting participation in government business.^[1][2]

The crisis was also a consequence of the 2019 Thuringian state election, in which no established government coalition in Germany won a majority. Following Kemmerich's controversial election, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer stepped down as federal CDU leader, Mike Mohring withdrew as CDU state leader and parliamentary party leader in Thuringia, and Christian Hirte, Commissioner of the Federal Government for the New States, was dismissed.