Berlin – The President of the German Bundestag, Julia Klöckner, has publicly refuted accusations leveled by the Green Party alleging her administration initially obstructed a parliamentary inquiry into the so-called “mask affair” involving former Health Minister Jens Spahn.
Speaking to the news portal T-Online, Klöckner characterized the Green Party’s claims as misleading, stating that the initial handling of the inquiry was standard procedure and not a deliberate attempt to hinder scrutiny. “To portray this as an obstruction is a foul play” she asserted, adding that it unfairly discredits the work of Bundestag staff.
Klöckner explained that the parliamentary administration routinely reviews minor inquiries – known as “Kleine Anfragen” – to ensure they meet formal requirements and procedural accuracy. She emphasized this oversight is a standard process. Furthermore, she pointed out that the Green Party themselves acknowledged within the text of the inquiry that its contents overlapped with an existing case before the Federal Constitutional Court.
This overlap, Klöckner stated, necessitated communication between the parliamentary administration and those who submitted the inquiry to address potential procedural conflicts. She suggested the Green Party were aware of this from the outset, implying that the claims of obstruction are politically motivated and misrepresent the standard workings of the Bundestag. The incident has sparked debate surrounding transparency and the handling of sensitive inquiries within the German parliament.
