On Tuesday, the Bundestag will meet for the first time since the Bundestag election.
(Photo: Reuters)
Berlin The new Bundestag will meet for the first time on Tuesday. Usually this is a ceremony. But the constituent session of the 20th German Bundestag takes place under exceptional circumstances due to Corona.
In the Bundestag and among MPs, there is great concern that the AfD could use the Corona framework conditions for a scandal – and that MPs of the parliamentary group can be removed from the plenary hall with the use of force by the Bundestag police.
The 3G regulation will apply in parliament at the constituent session of the Bundestag. That means: only those who have been vaccinated, recovered or tested negative are allowed to enter the plenary hall.
Every MP who fulfills these conditions will receive a yellow ribbon around his wrist, which this time is, in addition to the election, the additional ticket for the plenary chamber. All other MPs who do not meet the 3G rules have to take a seat in the stands with a mask and distance rules, but are otherwise allowed to attend the meeting regularly.
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The AfD parliamentary group assured Bundestag President Wolfgang Schäuble (CDU) that it would reluctantly participate in the 3G regulation. But for individual MPs, he could not put his hand in the fire, according to information from the Bundestag, AfD parliamentary group leader Tino Chrupalla said.
Bundestag police want to take action
This was also the case in the last legislative period, when individual AfD MPs disregarded corona rules. Several parliamentarians violated the mask requirement. This has been in force in the Bundestag since October 6th. MEPs can, however, remove the mouth and nose protection when they have taken a seat – in the plenary hall and in the meeting rooms – or are standing at the lectern.
Chrupalla himself has been infected with the corona virus and is therefore not at the constituent session of the Bundestag, as his group announced.
Some parliamentarians had even wanted to force Bundestag President Schäuble to sign a cease and desist declaration in which he promised to withdraw the order to wear masks in all buildings of the Bundestag. However, Schäuble strictly rejected this.
Members of the AfD parliamentary group had also filed a complaint with the Federal Constitutional Court because of the mask requirement. Months later, they withdrew their lawsuit.
At the constituent meeting, individual AfD MPs could again cause provocations in the Bundestag with a view to the 3G regulation. Some have already stated that they are not vaccinated. Whether they can be tested is open, according to the Bundestag.
The concern is that these AfD MPs are trying in front of the cameras to push their way into the plenary chamber among the 735 MPs. The Bundestag administration wants to prevent this under all circumstances. Because then the entire plenary hall would be contaminated at the constituent session.
The Bundestag police therefore want, so it is heard from the Bundestag, to prevent, if necessary, by using all means, that MPs without a yellow ribbon gain access to the plenary hall and if necessary lead them accompanied to the stands. But if MPs are practically led away by the police, it would make for extremely unsightly images.
Further interference possible
The preparations for the first session of the Bundestag were already going anything but normal due to the corona – and optimally. For example, the Bundestag has reserved space for dozens of MPs in the stands for the session on Tuesday. Especially in the event that some parliamentarians feel too cramped in the plenary during the session and want to move to the stands.
Therefore, the Bundestag had to cancel many of its guests to attend the constituent session. But if MEPs don’t take the opportunity, some people at home may wonder why they were canceled while so many seats are vacant in the stands.
And pictures of vacant stands at the first session of the Bundestag are generally not nice, as they show an alleged, but in this case nonexistent, disinterest.
In addition to access to the plenary session, other disruptions from the AfD are played out in the Bundestag. The Bundestag has to pass the 3G regulation briefly at the beginning of the session. The AfD could apply to have it discussed first.
And yet another disruptive maneuver is conceivable. So it cannot be ruled out that individual AfD MPs will run an opposing candidate for Bärbel Bas (SPD) as President of the Bundestag. Here the regulation is apparently not entirely clear as to whether only a parliamentary group can nominate a candidate or whether a single MP can do so.
Meanwhile, the FDP Vice-Vice President Wolfgang Kubicki is calm about the first parliamentary session. “I do not expect a scandal,” said the member and former Bundestag Vice President the Handelsblatt. “The rules of procedure of the Bundestag also open up all options for action,” he added.
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