Green and Left Party lawmakers are urging the Union and SPD to cooperate on the formation of parliamentary inquiry committees in the Bundestag. Irene Mihalic, the First Parliamentary Officer for the Greens, stated to the “Rheinische Post” that a “fairness agreement” with the governing parties is necessary to ensure effective parliamentary control. This agreement would outline the conditions under which CDU/CSU and SPD would be willing to approve inquiry committees, requiring only nine additional votes from the coalition ranks.
Currently, 25 percent of parliamentarians are required to approve the establishment of an inquiry committee, a threshold that the Greens and Left Party narrowly missed. The Greens have rejected lowering the quorum to the level seen in 2013, arguing that the current three-party opposition landscape differs significantly from that of 2013.
Jan van Aken, leader of the Left Party, expressed concern regarding the current majority in the Bundestag. He warned that without a shift in position from the SPD and CDU, no inquiry committees would be established during this legislative period. Van Aken characterized this situation as “convenient for the coalition” but detrimental to democracy. He also stated that an inquiry committee including votes from the AfD is unacceptable.
Bernd Baumann, the First Parliamentary Officer for the AfD, countered that the necessary quorum would be easily achieved with the AfD’s support. He accused the Greens and Left Party of prioritizing other matters over parliamentary oversight. Baumann indicated the AfD’s readiness to participate in inquiries concerning mask procurement and the Northvolt collapse.
