A Political Storm in the German Parliament: Julia Klöckner Kicks Out MP over Palestine Shirt Controversy
Palestine Shirt Incident Leads to Bundestag Plenum's Expulsion of MP - Ejecting Members of Parliament from the German Federal Assembly (Bundestag) by Klöckner
Dive into the recent chaos that unfolded in the German Bundestag as Julia Klöckner, the Bundestag President, decided to enforce the rules and expel Cansin Köktürk, an MP from the Left Party. The cause? Köktürk's T-shirt displayed the word "Palestine."
In the heat of the debate, Klöckner interjected, "Our house has clear regulations. Neither stickers nor any political statements on T-shirts are allowed. I kindly asked MP Köktürk to switch her sweater. But, apparently, she's not cooperating - then I would request her to leave the session."
Köktürk obliged and vacated her seat, heading towards the exit after gathering her belongings.
Since the initial Bundestag session in March, Klöckner had made it clear that political expressions on clothing were off-limits in the chamber. Previously, Köktürk had worn a Palestinian scarf during the opening session[1][2]. She defended her actions, stating her concern for human rights violations against Palestinian civilians by the Israeli government, as noted by international bodies like the International Criminal Court, the UN, and numerous human rights organizations. The scarf, she claimed, symbolized solidarity, not hatred[1][2].
This expulsion was not the first incident involving Köktürk and attire-related controversy. Upon her initial election as an MP, she sported a keffiyeh-like scarf, which provoked criticism from conservative members, triggering calls for a symbol ban in the Bundestag[1][2]. The parliament lacks a specific dress code, with the chair's discretion determining enforcement[1][2].
Approximately 20 minutes after Köktürk's expulsion, another incident occurred in the Bundestag. A visitor in the gallery shouted and gesticulated wildly; security personnel escorted her out upon Klöckner's instructions, with the woman shouting "Free Palestine" among other things[1][2].
In mid-May, the Left Party MP Marcel Bauer was previously expelled from the Bundestag plenary hall due to his beret[1][2].
Remain informed with our free capital newsletter, featuring the week's most important news analyzed by our Berlin politics experts[1][2].
Sources: German Bundestag, "Der Spiegel"
Keywords: Julia Klöckner, Bundestag, Palestine
[1] https://www.bundestag.de/[2] https://www.spiegel.de/
- In light of the recent expulsion of Cansin Köktürk from the German Bundestag for wearing a T-shirt with the word "Palestine," the Commission has also been asked to submit a proposal for a directive on the protection of workers from the risks arising from the use of electronic communications networks, as it pertains to political expression in the workplace.
- The current political crisis in the German Parliament, escalated by the expulsion of Köktürk and other instances of attire-related controversy, highlights the need for clear policies and legislation regarding political expression in public settings, a topic that remains relevant in policy-and-legislation, general-news, and politics discussions.
%20by%20Kl%C3%B6ckner){kind=link}