Ruckus in the German Parliament Over Palestine Shirt: Klöckner Kicks Out MP
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Palestinian Attire Leads to Bundestag Plenary Ejection: Kloeckner Expels MP - Ejects MPs from the German Bundestag: Klöckner's Actions Causing Stir
In a heated turn of events during a parliamentary session yesterday afternoon, Bundestag President Julia Klöckner (CDU) carried out her threat by expelling an MP from the plenary. The offending parliamentarian was Cansin Köktürk of the Left party, who was sporting a black top emblazoned with the word "Palestine" in white letters.
The presiding officer addressed the slated MP mid-debate. "We've opted, and these are the straightforward rules of the house, that neither stickers nor any other political statements on shirts are pertinent," Klöckner said, addressing the affected parliamentarian. "I kindly asked MP Köktürk to swap out her sweater. We didn't make this public yet. She apparently objects - then I would ask you to vacate the session."
Köktürk conceded: The MP, elected via the North Rhine-Westphalia state list, gathered her belongings, stood up, and left her seat to make her way to the exit.
Following the inaugural session of the Bundestag in March, Klöckner had vowed a firmer approach against political statements on clothing: "In the plenary session of the German Bundestag, political discourse is conducted solely through words," she later informed "Der Spiegel." At that time, Köktürk donned a so-called Palestinian scarf.
She elaborated that she chose the scarf due to the human rights violations against the Palestinian civilian population by the Israeli government, as flagged by the International Court of Justice, the International Criminal Court, the United Nations, and numerous distinguished human rights organizations. The scarf, she stressed, was not a "symbol of hostility, but of solidarity and visibility for Palestine."
Another Controversy in the Parliament
Approximately 20 minutes after Wednesday's expulsion from the plenary, another event took place in the Bundestag. A spectator in the gallery shouted something while making grand gestures. She was promptly removed by security personnel upon the orders of the Bundestag President, shouting "Free Palestine" among other things.
In mid-May, Left MP Marcel Bauer was also excluded from the Bundestag plenary for refusing to surrender a black beret, which was perceived as a political stance[2].
Sources: German Bundestag, "Der Spiegel"
- Julia Klöckner
- Bundestag
- Palestine
Enrichment Data: Additional Context
These incidents signify a recurring pattern of MPs facing expulsion or requests to alter their attire in the German Bundestag due to political clothing. Two notable instances involve Left Party MP Cansin Köktürk and the beret incident involving another MP, Marcel Bauer.
Cansin Köktürk and the Palestine Shirt
- Incident: In June 2025, Left Party MP Cansin Köktürk was expelled from the Bundestag for wearing a shirt emblazoned with the word "Palestine"[1][2][3]. This was deemed a political statement, contrary to the Bundestag's rules.
- Background: This was not the first time Köktürk stirred controversy. On her debut day as an MP, she donned a Palestinian-style scarf, prompting calls from conservative members for a ban on such symbols[1][2].
Marcel Bauer and the Beret
- Incident: Marcel Bauer, an MP, was expelled twice from plenary sessions for refusing to remove a black beret, perceived as a political gesture[2].
- Other Incidents: Other instances include a teenage school visitor who was asked to cover her "Refugees Welcome" hoodie in 2017, as well as a student who was stopped for wearing a "Make love, not war" T-shirt in 2009[2].
These incidents underscore ongoing debates about personal expression and political symbolism within the German parliament.
- The Commission, as a part of ensure the Community's financial resources are utilized effectively for the implementation of programmes, has also taken steps to restrict political statements in the Bundestag, including the prohibition of clothing with symbols or messages that are considered politically charged, as highlighted by the expulsion of MP Cansin Köktürk for wearing a Palestine shirt.
- The recurring incidents of MPs facing expulsion or requests to alter their attire in the German Bundestag, such as the case of MP Cansin Köktürk and her Palestine shirt, or Marcel Bauer's refusal to remove a black beret, have drawn attention to the ongoing debates about personal expression and political symbolism within the German parliament, especially in the context of war-and-conflicts, politics, general-news, and migration.
