The conservative Werteunion has established its first regional branch in Thuringia and aims to attract votes to the right of the CDU in September. Despite weak polling numbers, the Werteunion is setting high goals in Thuringia – with former head of the Intelligence Agency Hans-Georg Maaßen, they plan to nominate a candidate for the position of Minister President. Maaßen has stated his availability for the position and mentioned that the Thuringia branch is the first in the country, with a similar branch in Saxony to follow. However, he will not run for a seat in the Erfurt parliament, as the former CDU member Albert Weiler has been elected as the frontrunner for the Thuringian state elections on September 1st.
Hans-Georg Maaßen is the current Federal Chairman of the newly formed party Werteunion, which consists of former CDU members. The Werteunion is considered to be to the right of the CDU. Maaßen sees the party as a bourgeois alternative to Thuringia’s current Minister President Bodo Ramelow of the Left party. He emphasized that their goal is not to be in opposition. Maaßen, who has his primary residence in southern Thuringia, considers Thuringia to be his home branch and is committed to supporting it. He did not confirm whether he plans to run for the Bundestag in 2025, following his potential candidacy in 2021. The Werteunion is currently polling at around one percent.
The Werteunion has currently recruited approximately 50 members in Thuringia, with around 200 more membership applications pending, including from former members of the recently dissolved party Citizens for Thuringia. Applications are being reviewed, and new members will undergo a 15-month probation period to ensure that the party does not foster radical ideologies. The regional branch is aiming to avoid internal unrest and maintain a stable foundation as they prepare for the upcoming state elections. Maaßen highlighted his intention to collaborate with Albert Weiler to cement the presence of the Werteunion in the Thuringian parliament.
The formation of the Werteunion’s regional branch in Thuringia marks a significant step in the party’s effort to establish a presence to the right of the CDU. With ambitious goals set for the upcoming state elections in September, the party is positioning itself as a legitimate political force in the region. The decision to nominate a candidate for the position of Minister President, despite not running for a seat in the Erfurt parliament, reflects the party’s unconventional approach to politics. As the party aims to attract votes beyond their current polling numbers, the success of the Werteunion in Thuringia could have broader implications for the political landscape in the region.
