The opinion survey powered by Buzzard: Is it discrimination to deny the AfD the chairmanship of the interior committee?
–
It has been clear since Wednesday: The AfD will not lead any of the committees in the Bundestag. The AfD itself reacts indignantly and speaks of a “fatal signal for democracy”. Is that correct?
–
It was actually planned that the AfD MP and long-time police officer Martin Hess would become chairman of the interior committee in the Bundestag. None of the other factions had claimed access to the post for themselves. If the standard procedures in the Bundestag were to be followed, the AfD would have been in the chair for sure.
But now the other parliamentary groups in the Bundestag have prevented this at the last second and with combined forces. All of the candidates were rejected by MPs from the other parliamentary parties on Wednesday afternoon. This affects the health, development and internal committees. The domestic policy spokesman for the FDP, Konstantin Kuhle, defended the move: It would have been a “heavy burden for the fight against right-wing extremism if the Interior Committee of all things were led by a right-wing extremist party,” he said on Inforadio.
Not everyone sees it that way. The AfD itself sharply criticizes the boycott: AfD parliamentary group leader Tino Chrupalla says the procedure is “not only a break with parliamentary traditions, but also a fatal signal for the democratic culture in this country”. But criticism comes not only from the AfD, but also from left-liberal media such as the Süddeutsche Zeitung. The other parties made themselves implausible with the boycott of the AfD, it says there. Is that correct?
Is it right to deny the AfD the chairmanship of the Interior Committee?
Read the daily opinions of the award-winning media and journalism startup here BUZZARD.
Pro 1: There is a line in dealing with the far right
The daily mirror
In the eyes of Maria Fiedler, dealing with the AfD was characterized by dilemmas from the start. In the Berliner Tagesspiegel, for example, she recalls the question of whether the party should be denied the post of Bundestag Vice-President – and thus give it the opportunity to portray itself as a victim. With the question of the chairmanship of the Interior Committee, a further dilemma has now apparently been added.
But Fiedler considers the decision to refuse the AfD the post to be consistent. “You could say: If you see the danger that the AfD will damage democracy from within, then the other parties will react and, if necessary, break with the traditions of the Bundestag.”
The Tagesspiegel editor refers in this context to the former AfD chairman of the legal committee, Stephan Brandner. He had to vacate his post after several scandal. Fiedler can understand that the AfD is now being withheld from the chairmanship of the committees for health and development. “Because at the moment there is nothing to suggest that the AfD will moderate itself in the near future.
–
The Buzzard News and Debate app offers a variety of opinions on three topics on a daily basis.
(Display)
–
–
Pro 2: Interior Committee: The AfD candidate rightly fell through
Editorial network Germany (RND)
Markus Decker from the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND) welcomes the fact that the other AfD parties have refused to chair the Interior Committee. The AfD was theoretically entitled to the post, after all, the other parliamentary groups, above all the Greens, had not taken hold of it. Also, according to Decker, the AfD candidate Martin Hess was “somehow moderate”.
Nevertheless, the other groups in a parliament would have the democratic right to refuse a candidate their vote. They made clear use of this, according to Decker.
“Furthermore, the AfD as a whole presents itself as a party that does not want to work in democracy, but wants to break democracy,” said the RND editor. “That is why your candidates are not considered for democratic offices – and certainly not for sensitive ones.”
In the discussion about the committee chairmen, Decker also sees a wake-up call to the traffic light parties for the next four years of their legislative period. “When it comes to democracy, you shouldn’t be sleepy – not even for a moment,” warns the RND author.
–
–
Get the Buzzard News app’s free weekly perspective review
(Display)
–
–
Against 1: A question of credibility
Southgerman newspaper
The fact that the parties in the Bundestag rejected the AfD candidate for the chairmanship of the Interior Committee on Wednesday in a specially scheduled vote was a demonstrative alliance. “That sounds good, but it’s not,” comments Constanze von Bullion in the Süddeutsche Zeitung.
The failure of the AfD candidate is not a loss in terms of personnel. To praise the so-called “defensive democracy” is out of place, however, according to the parliamentary editor. “Because the ruling parties have got themselves into the mess”. In doing so, she points out that when the committees were awarded, they left the committee of internal affairs open to the AfD.
Certainly extremists: inside, pandemic deniers: inside “and their backsides from the AfD” are difficult to bear, admits von Bullion. “But a democracy that gives the impression that it adjusts its rules if the candidates do not like it makes itself vulnerable.” Although the AfD is dangerous, it is not forbidden and its members are democratically elected. “A self-confident parliament can and must get hold of such people, even without adapting the rules of the game to taste,” said von Bullion.
–
–
The Buzzard News and Debate app offers a variety of opinions on three topics on a daily basis.
(Display)
–
–
–
Now give away diversity of opinion for Christmas and support constructive journalism
(Display)
–
–
About Buzzard
“Buzzard” is an award-winning media and journalism startup from Berlin. The “Buzzard” Newsapp bundles media voices from the entire spectrum of political opinion on important political topics of the day and classifies them journalistically. Every day the Buzzard app provides an overview of the most important controversies of the day and a selection of opinion positions from a pool of over 1,800 German and English-speaking media. Buzzard’s goal: to strengthen constructive debates and help people break out of their own filter bubble more often. Presented in collaboration with FOCUS Online Buzzard every day an overview of opinions and perspectives on a topic.
—
–
You might also be interested in:
–
The trip through the Ahr valley gives me hope, but the person who is decisive for departure is missing
–
