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AfD rebels against the wearing of masks in the Bundestag – von Storch order
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AfD rebels against the wearing of masks in the Bundestag – von Storch order
During the government poll, AfD MP Franziska Gminder entered the plenary room without a mask. Schäuble asked him to wear protection for his mouth and nose. When von Storch told him that he himself was not wearing a mask, he received a call to order.
Several AfD parliamentarians have manifestly violated the mask requirement in the Bundestag. The president of the Bundestag, Wolfgang Schäuble, reacted with warnings and even with a call to order, because he felt criticized.
meThese were demonstrative gestures: several AfD MPs apparently deliberately violated this provision in the first session of the Bundestag after ordering the mask requirement.
Parliamentarians such as Armin Paul Hampel or Beatrix von Storch entered the plenary hall before the start of the session without protection for their mouth and nose and therefore also made their way to the parliamentary platform. Instead, the leader of the parliamentary group Alexander Gauland, who arrived wearing a mask, behaved in an exemplary manner.
At the beginning of the session, the president of the Bundestag, Wolfgang Schäuble (CDU), asked the deputies “emphatically” to adhere to the conditions. “So remember to wear a mask even if you are walking down the hall or want to speak briefly with a colleague.”
Violations of this also meant a violation of parliamentary order. “The risk to the health of the deputies by the behavior of other deputies endangers the completion of the parliamentary work that has been assigned to us,” he warned.
When AfD MP Franziska Gminder entered the plenary hall without a mask during the next government poll, Schäuble strongly urged her to wear mouth and nose protection. She issued a warning to the Heilbronn MPs.
She was called to order because she had criticized the president of the Bundestag: Beatrix von Storch
Source: AFP
When von Storch told him that he himself was not wearing a mask, he received a call to order. At this point, Schäuble was sitting in the chair of the meeting. The use of a mask is no more mandatory there than in the parliamentary seats and at the lectern.
He justified the following call to order against Storch by saying that the President of the Bundestag should not be criticized.
Call to order as a rare means of discipline
According to the internal regulations of the Bundestag, the President of Parliament can call members to order “if they violate the order or dignity of the Bundestag by appointing them”.
An objection may be filed against the call to order until the day after the parliamentary session, on which the Plenary must decide. This form of reprimand is quite rare in the Bundestag. According to Parliament, there were 38 regulatory measures in this legislative period (as of May 29), 27 of which were called to order.
In Bundestag buildings a mouth and nose cover must be worn from Tuesday. In boardrooms and meeting rooms, the mask can only be removed from the seat if it is at least 1.50 meters away from other people.
No need to wear a mask on the lectern or room microphones. Violations of the mask requirement can result in a penalty of up to 25,000 euros or a fine of up to 5,000 euros. Because those who move through the Bundestag without a mask endanger the performance of the parliamentary work assigned to the people’s representatives, as Schäuble said.
AfD plans to take legal action against the wearing of masks in the Bundestag
Meanwhile, the AfD has announced that it will take legal action against the mask requirement in the Bundestag. The parliamentary group made the corresponding decision on Tuesday night. “We want to clarify whether the President of the Bundestag can force us MPs and our employees in Parliament to wear masks,” MP Stephan Brandner said in Berlin on Wednesday.
The use of mouth and nose protection is “highly controversial,” the attorney continued. Also, there is no pandemic situation. Keeping your distance from other people is completely sufficient. Those who want to protect themselves can do so. Forcing everyone indiscriminately, however, is disproportionate.
Brandner announced that he would call the Federal Constitutional Court to revoke the mask requirement for deputies. The administrative courts are responsible for the employees of the parliamentary group. Furthermore, his group wanted to check whether the immediate execution of the order is legal.
Previously, there was only one recommendation for the Bundestag to wear a mask. The general decree issued by Schäuble on Monday is valid until January 17.
