Bundestag Rejects Appeal Against Reprimand
Berlin, January 31, 2025 – The German Bundestag (parliament) has rejected an appeal against an order to leave the plenary hall issued to a member of the far-right AfD party.
The incident occurred during a debate on the government’s plans to combat right-wing extremism. As the Minister of the Interior was speaking, AfD member Björn Höcke made a remark that was deemed by the Bundestag President to be “offensively racist.” Höcke was immediately ordered to leave the hall.
Höcke appealed the decision, arguing that his comment was merely “an expression of his opinion” and did not violate any parliamentary rules. However, the Bundestag Ethics Committee upheld the order, stating that Höcke’s remark had crossed “a clear line” of acceptable discourse.
The Bundestag’s plenary assembly then voted on the Ethics Committee’s recommendation. By a large majority, the assembly rejected Höcke’s appeal, effectively confirming the order to leave the hall.
The decision was met with mixed reactions. Some members of the AfD expressed outrage, claiming that the Bundestag was “silencing dissenting voices.” However, most other parties welcomed the move as a necessary step to protect the integrity of the institution.
The incident has reignited a debate in Germany about the limits of free speech in the Bundestag. Some argue that members of parliament should be free to express their views, even if they are offensive, while others believe that there must be certain limits to prevent the chamber from becoming a platform for hate speech and extremism.
The Bundesregierung (federal government) has stated that it will continue to take action against any form of extremism and hate speech in the Bundestag. The government has also announced plans to introduce new legislation that would strengthen the Ethics Committee’s powers to punish members who violate parliamentary rules.
Bundestag lehnt Einspruch gegen Ordnungsruf ab
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