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In a summer interview with the MDR, right-wing extremist Thuringian AfD boss Björn Höcke spread a bizarre message five months ago.

"Corona is over", he said at the time, "Corona will not come back either".

That says everything about this man and his party.

The dramatic situation in Thuringia also exposes him as a denier on this issue.

He and his cronies were rightly placed under political quarantine by most of the other parties in the Erfurt state parliament in the spring.

Left, Greens, Social Democrats and Union agreed on a stability pact at that time.

Firstly, the goal was not to let the AfD become effective in parliament - as it did in the election of Thomas Kemmerich as short-term prime minister.

Second, a budget for 2021 should be agreed.

Both projects were successfully implemented.

The Free State of Thuringia was thus saved from political and economic damage.

The unusual cooperation, born out of sheer necessity, should now actually expire and a new state parliament should be elected in April.

In view of the galloping infection process, the coalition factions of Bodo Ramelow's minority government and the CDU have now agreed to postpone the new election to September 26th, parallel to the federal election.

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Unlike in Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate, where new state parliaments will be elected on March 14th, in Thuringia a series of analogue election party congresses would have had to be held to draw up lists.

Election campaign in a pandemic, in lockdown?

The dates were set in Stuttgart and Mainz, but the parliament in Erfurt is free to choose.

The decision is sensible and testifies to the raison d'etat.

Because the left violates its own interests with the postponement.

A singular Thuringia election would have given Bodo Ramelow more space than an election campaign in which the national trend will also play a role.

From September 26th, the Greens, weakening in Thuringia, and the contrite Union, which is still straightening up and breathing, will benefit.

"I'm talking about a tough time that will be with us for 12 weeks"

Thuringia is currently a nationwide Corona hotspot.

In an interview with WELT, Prime Minister Bodo Ramelow explains the seriousness of the situation in his state. He has great hopes for the vaccinations, but does not believe that the 50s incidence will be reached soon.

Source: WORLD / Daniel Koop

The stability pact between R2G and CDU will now also be extended.

Under normal circumstances, that would be questionable; a permanent weakening of the roles of government and opposition is not good.

In the pandemic, however, it is simply the better solution.

The concrete policy now also depends on the vaccine.