Bundestag
Bartsch sees the left’s opposition work at risk
In Dietmar Bartsch’s words, inquiries in the Bundestag are “one of the most effective means of opposition work.” photo
© Michael Kappeler/dpa
The left-wing faction in the Bundestag has dissolved. 28 left-wing MPs want to continue as a group. Their rights are determined by the parliamentary majority. But the group doesn’t agree with some things.
The Left complains about planned requirements for its future group Bundestag. “I particularly criticize two points because they significantly jeopardize our work as a parliamentary opposition,” said former parliamentary group leader Dietmar Bartsch to the German Press Agency. “It is not possible to restrict our right to make small requests. The number must not be capped.” In addition, the right to two current hours per year is not enough.
The Left dissolved its parliamentary group at the end of 2023 after ten MPs led by former group leader Sahra Wagenknecht left the party. Both the 28 remaining left-wing MPs and the ten MPs from the new Sahra Wagenknecht alliance want to continue as separate groups. Your future rights and financial resources will be determined by the majority of the Bundestag in a resolution. This could drop at the end of the week.
The thing with the requests
In Bartsch’s words, inquiries are “one of the most effective means of opposition work.” This allows MPs to request official information from the federal government. According to Bartsch, leftists have made 966 small requests in this legislature from the end of 2021 to the end of December 2023. In the last legislative period there were more than 2,800 within four years. For example, the Left regularly asks for data on the development of pensions and wages in East and West, on right-wing extremism or arms exports. By publishing the answers, she tries to uncover grievances or set topics.
The traffic light factions’ draft envisages capping the number of inquiries to “a number to be determined by the Council of Elders per calendar month”. In an amendment, Bartsch and other left-wing MPs are calling for this restriction to be overturned and for more applications for current hours to be allowed. “At least these two points should be changed,” said Bartsch. “I call on the government parties to correct this.”
Left-wing domestic politician is considering legal action
The left-wing domestic politician Clara Bünger told the dpa that the draft was not in line with the constitutional rights for members of parliament. The left must continue to be able to use its control function in the future. “If the federal government does not change its application, we will have to consider legal action against it.”
Bartsch said other conditions for recognition as a group were acceptable, such as the allowed speaking times. It is also planned that chairmen of the new group will have the same rights as group chairmen. According to the specifications in the draft application, the financial resources of the Left Group would amount to around 7.4 million euros in state money for the entire year 2024.