The President of the German Bundestag, Julia Klöckner (CDU), has declared the proposed revisions to the Bundestag’s rules of procedure to be urgently necessary.
Speaking to the “Rheinische Post” Klöckner emphasized the need for greater clarity, commitment and efficiency to bolster the functioning of parliament and its processes. A key focus is ensuring respectful debate, which she believes can be better guaranteed through stricter parliamentary regulations.
The President highlighted a unique polarization within the Bundestag, noting that ten percent of seats are held by the political left flank and approximately twenty-five percent by the right. She observed a trend of escalating disputes, driven in part by a desire to cater to social media audiences, with criticism increasingly directed at individuals rather than their positions.
This dynamic is reflected in the growing number of procedural interventions. Klöckner pointed out there have already been thirteen such calls in just five weeks of sittings, with twelve of them directed at members of the AfD party.
Consequently, the Bundestag is currently undertaking what she described as the most significant reform of its rules of procedure since 1980. Plans, which include a doubling of fines for breaches of order and measures to encourage more vibrant debate, are scheduled for discussion this week.
