Thuringia Governor Election Causes Political Storm

ERFURT, GERMANY - FEBRUARY 06: Newly elected Prime Minister of Thuringia Thomas Kemmerich, of the Free Democratic Party (FDP, speaks during a press conference on February 6, 2020 in Erfurt, Germany. The election has caused a political uproar after the centrist candidate of the German Free Democrats (FDP), a party that only received 5% of votes in Thuringias state election, was elected governor yesterday in elections within the parliament with the support of the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD). The AfD threw all its votes behind FDP candidate Thomas Kemmerich and ignored its own candidate. Parliamentarians of the German Christian Democrats (CDU) also supported Kemmerich, giving him enough votes to edge out Bodo Ramelow, the incumbent candidate of the left-wing Die Linke, who was generally expected to win and to create a minority government of leftists, German Social Democrats and Greens. The election of Kemmerich with AfD support has caused a torrent of criticism and protests. Lead CDU and FDP leaders at the federal level are talking of possible new elections as a way forward, though the FDP has so far been shy to withdraw Kemmerich as governor. (Photo by Carsten Koall/Getty Images)