En the day before the state party conference of the Thuringian CDU in Pößneck, the judiciary committee of the Thuringian state parliament surprisingly lifted the immunity of the CDU parliamentary group leader Mario Voigt on Friday. This was preceded by investigations by the public prosecutor. “I don’t know the specific allegations yet, but I’m sure that I’m not guilty of anything,” said Voigt in a press statement scheduled at short notice in Erfurt. He had heard rumors that it was about his part-time jobs. Transparency and clarity are important to him, which is why he will “proactively work with the public prosecutor and provide all the information” that is necessary to clarify the facts.
Voigt announced that it would publish all the annual accounts of its business activities on its website by Saturday morning. All of his voluntary, economic and scientific activities can already be viewed there. Since 2017 he has been a professor for digital transformation and politics at a private university in Berlin.
“Always let transparency and clarity prevail”
Since taking over the chairmanship of the parliamentary group in 2019, he has severely restricted his sideline activities, Voigt explained. He had “always let transparency and clarity prevail”. Everything has been put through its paces. The lifting of immunity is also explosive because Voigt wants to be elected chairman of the Thuringian CDU this Saturday. He would thus replace Christian Hirte, who took over the post from Mike Mohring after the lost state election in 2019. Voigt is also considered the top candidate for the 2024 state elections.
On Friday, Voigt said the lifting of the immunity was “remarkable timing” but that he had complete confidence in the judiciary. Of course he will stand for election at the party congress. “I want to lead this CDU Thuringia.” Voigt’s party in Thuringia is divided into numerous camps, some of which are hostile to each other. However, he had recently succeeded in conveying a more cohesive picture of the state association. The CDU, which ruled Thuringia for many years, only came third in 2019. She is faced with a minority government made up of leftists, SPD and Greens, with whom she occasionally works.
