The traffic light coalition has been in office for a year. The debates in the Bundestag were heated, but also often cheerful. A review.
Jubilation, hustle and bustle: this can also be experienced in the Bundestag – and documented in writing. Every meeting of the MPs is meticulously recorded by the stenographers, almost every word is documented, and even laughter, heckling and applause are noted.
The notes are poured into page-long plenary minutes, taken shortly after the debate published by the Bundestag on the Internet – and sometimes bursting with strange scenes that, among other things, the Twitter channel “@InterjectionMdB” just as carefully curated.
On December 8th, it was exactly one year ago that Olaf Scholz (SPD) was sworn in as the ninth chancellor and his traffic light coalition of SPD, Greens and FDP took up government business. A review in heckling and taunts in the House.
The first session, October 26, 2021
The Bundestag comes to its first session together after the federal elections. On the official agenda are formalities such as the election of the President of the Bundestag – unofficially also the processing of the election results.
Jan Korte (Die Linke): “If I look at the Starnberg constituency, I see that we have a turnout of 80 percent there. In Saxony-Anhalt, in the Anhalt constituency, it’s just 65 percent.”
Marco Buschmann (FDP): “Then you have to do better advertising!”
The seating chart thing, December 16, 2021
Katrin Goering-Eckardt (Alliance 90/The Greens), Vice-President of the Bundestag: “So, now there are still a few groups here that talk standing up (…) My request would be: talk outside, follow the debate inside. – Thank you very much.”
Stephen BranderAfD: “Or do they all have to be implemented because of the new seating plan!”
Katrin Goering-Eckardt (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen), Vice President of the Bundestag: “Mr. Brandner, you don’t have to change your mind at all, you just have to put on your mask.”
(Applause from the SPD and members of the Left Party – dr Petra custom [Die Linke]: And shut up! – Stephen Brander [AfD]: They also!)
Scolded by the Chancellor, January 12, 2022
For the first time since taking office, Olaf Scholz (SPD) at a government survey the questions of the members of the Bundestag. It’s about foreign policy, but also about the corona virus.
Martin Sichert (AfD): “Don’t you think that the people in this country deserve an open and honest handling of the facts by the government on such a sensitive issue as compulsory vaccination (…)?”
Olaf Scholz (SPD), Federal Chancellor: “I wish you, above all, an open and honest handling of the facts.”
(Applause from the SPD, Alliance 90/The Greens and the FDP, as well as from members of the CDU/CSU)
The sports-loving opposition, January 12, 2022
Stephen Mayer (CDU/CSU): “Ladies and gentlemen, I am very enthusiastic about sports myself; Mr. Wiese pointed this out.”
Konstantin Kuhle (FDP): “You also have time now!”
Minister Quick-witted, February 16, 2022
Federal Minister of Finance Christian Lindner (FDP) stands before the deputies in a government survey Questions and answers – and goes too far with his answer. Bundestag President Bärbel Bas (SPD) points out to Lindner that he has exceeded his speaking time.
Baerbel Bas (SPD), President of the Bundestag: “Speaking of discipline: the red bar has a meaning; maybe everyone should look at it again.”
Christian Lindner (FDP), Federal Minister of Finance: “You used to think it was good when the red bar grew.”
(Laughter from the FDP and the SPD)
Baerbel Bas (SPD), President of the Bundestag: “Definitely! It also has a meaning, I said yes.”
Spahn, the all-rounder, February 18, 2022
One is on the agenda Debate on energy pricesalso the former Federal Minister of Health Jens Spahn (CDU) expresses himself.
Baerbel Bas (SPD), President of the Bundestag: “I will open the debate and Jens Spahn has the floor for the CDU/CSU parliamentary group)
(Applause from the CDU/CSU – Acclamation from the FDP: He can do everything too!”)
Where is Karl Lauterbach?, March 16, 2022
Thorsten Frei (CDU/CSU): “We are now discussing the proposed amendment to the Infection Protection Act. Even if it is a group motion, we are very surprised that the minister of the lead ministry, Karl Lauterbach, is not here when it is brought in. That is why we are calling for it Summoning the minister according to § 42 of the Rules of Procedure.”
(Applause from the CDU/CSU, AfD and Die Linke)
Katrin Goering-Eckhardt (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen), Vice-President of the Bundestag: “Good. Is there a request to speak, Ms. Mast?”
Katja MastSPD: “Yes!”
Katrin Goering-Eckhardt (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen), Vice President of the Bundestag: “Please.”
Stephen Pilsinger (CDU/CSU): “He’s with Lanz!”
Friedrich Merz (CDU/CSU): “He’s probably on a talk show, yes!”
The AfD expelled, March 22, 2022
Katrin Goering-Eckhardt (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen), Vice President of the Bundestag: “Mr Colleague, do you want to allow an interim question from the AfD parliamentary group?”
Metin Hakverdi (SPD): “No thanks, ignore it.”
(Laughter and applause from the SPD and the members of Alliance 90/The Greens)
Time to think, April 6, 2022
The SPD MP Tim Klüssendorf speaks on a tax policy proposal of the AfD parliamentary group, expresses sharp criticism. Shortly before the end of his speaking time, he turns to the AfD parliamentary group.
Tim Klussendorf (SPD): “So your request is neither well-intentioned nor well-done. And I’ll give you the last five seconds to think about it. Thank you very much.”
(Applause from the SPD and Bündnis 90/Die Grünen, as well as from members of the FDP and Deputy Thomas Lutze [Die Linke])
Wolfgang Kubicki (FDP), Vice-President of the Bundestag: “Thank you, colleague Klüssendorf. Nice approach, but five seconds won’t be enough.”
(Laughter and applause from the SPD and FDP MPs)
Kubicki’s experience, May 13, 2022
Wolfgang Kubicki (FDP), Bundestag Vice-President: “Thank you very much, colleague Dr. Seiter. It’s nice when you get so much applause in your first speech. It won’t last.”
(Laughter in the SPD, the Bündnis 90/Die Grünen and the FDP – Britta Hasselmann [Bündnis 90/Die Grünen]: ‘He says from his own experience!’)
For a coffee with Hubertus Heil, May 18, 2022
It’s time again for a government survey, this time it’s the turn of Federal Labor Minister Hubertus Heil (SPD). Heil answers a question from Union MP Markus Reichel.
Hubertus Heil (SPD), Federal Minister of Labor: “I cannot explain this to you in detail in the short time available; I may be able to answer you in writing or in a conversation over coffee if you pay for the coffee…”
(Laughter among members of the SPD, the CDU/CSU, Alliance 90/The Greens and the FDP)
“… I have to save on the budget for my house.”
Ironically, Mr. Minister of Transport, September 6, 2022
Wolfgang Kubicki (FDP), Bundestag Vice President: “This brings us to the business area of the Federal Ministry for Digital Affairs and Transport, individual plan 12. The Federal Minister (Volker Wissing, FDP), who was supposed to be the first to speak, has sent word that he is in traffic. That fits well too.”
(Laughter)
“That’s why, dear colleagues, I’m going to give the floor to my colleague Frank Schäffler, from the FDP parliamentary group, as the first speaker.”
(Applause from the FDP)
“I’m excited now.”
What was Friedrich Merz thinking?, September 7, 2022
Christian Durr (FDP): “Mr. Merz, what do you propose? When it comes to describing the problem, we agree on the dependency on Russia. But what did you propose?”
Friedrich Merz (CDU/CSU): “I made very specific suggestions!”
Christian Durr (FDP): “You made a very specific proposal for the electricity market. – Yes, you were on the Zugspitze. When I read the paper, I asked myself whether that sometimes had something to do with the thin air up there.”
(Laughter among members of the FDP)
Lauterbach strikes back, October 12, 2022
It stands again survey of the federal government on the agenda, this time with Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD). Lauterbach answers a question from AfD MP Kay-Uwe Ziegler, then Beatrix von Storch (AfD) draws attention to himself with an interjection.
Karl Lauterbach (SPD), Federal Minister of Health: “Thank you, Mr. Deputy. – I think I can answer this question…”
Beatrice of Stork: “They would all have died! That’s crazy!”
Karl Lauterbach (SPD), Federal Minister of Health: “No, more would have died, Frau von Storch, you must not pretend to be more stupid than you are. It may not be easy, but…”
(Laughter among members of the SPD)
Of fuel rods and masks, October 20, 2022
Anne König (CDU/CSU): “It would have been logical and necessary to order new fuel rods in the spring…”
Marie Agnes Strack Zimmermann (FDP): “The way you ordered masks!”