During Tuesday’s parliamentary session, Green Party parliamentarian Hanna Steinmüller made a spontaneous decision to deliver her speech at the speaker’s podium while holding her infant son. Explaining her decision to the Tagesspiegel newspaper, Steinmüller stated she brought her son “simply because he was sleeping”. She added that she preferred to keep him with her rather than risk waking him by handing him off to another colleague.
The move comes after Bundestag President Julia Klöckner (CDU) implemented adjustments to the rules governing the presence of children within the parliamentary chamber. Steinmüller acknowledged their political disagreements but commended Klöckner’s efforts in addressing the challenges faced by working parents.
Steinmüller emphasized that the Bundestag is not inherently a family-friendly environment, highlighting the importance of demonstrating that children are a natural element of everyday life. She noted the persistent expectation that childcare must be meticulously arranged and acknowledged the particular difficulties this presents for single parents.
