Left remains Bundestag vice-president
AfD fails with Petra Pau’s deselection request
January 18, 2024, 12:29 p.m
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Due to the resignation of numerous MPs from the party, the Left loses its parliamentary group status in the Bundestag. The AfD sees the opportunity to unseat the party’s Bundestag deputy, Petra Pau. However, the party fails with its application resoundingly.
The AfD parliamentary group has once again failed in its attempt to vote out Vice President Petra Pau in the Bundestag. All other MPs refused to even put a corresponding motion on the parliamentary agenda. The rules of procedure do not allow voting out, said Bundestag President Bärbel Bas. According to her, the members of the presidium would be elected “for the duration of the electoral period”. “This wording excludes a deselection. A motion that aims at such a deselection is therefore to be viewed as inadmissible.”
The first parliamentary managing director of the SPD, Katja Mast, also argued this for the traffic light factions. She also emphasized that Pau is the longest-serving Vice President of the Bundestag. Their work is recognized across party lines and the Bundestag. “She represents this house internally and externally with poise, dignity and decency.”
All factions are behind Pau
The discussion as to whether Pau could remain vice president arose after the left-wing faction in the Bundestag dissolved itself. However, it is only led by the AfD, all other factions are behind the 60-year-old left-wing politician.
The AfD MP Stephan Brandner now said that a member of the Bundestag Presidium is elected for the duration of the electoral period does not mean that he or she cannot also be voted out. In addition, the rules of procedure also stipulate that “every parliamentary group” should have at least one vice-president. “One faction, one vice president – no faction, no vice president,” said Brandner.
The Union parliamentary group also viewed the deselection request as inadmissible. The Bundestag’s rules of procedure are “crystal clear,” said its First Parliamentary Managing Director Thorsten Frei. However, the CDU MP considered it necessary to clarify the question of whether non-attached members could belong to the presidium.