In the wake of the Bundestag’s vote on the so-called “Zustrombegrenzungsgesetz”, the CDU/CSU faction’s leader, Friedrich Merz, revealed that a dozen of his party’s members had deviated from the majority in the vote. According to Merz, a total of twelve of his colleagues had not followed their party’s proposal, a development he described as “respectable”.
While expressing gratitude that the faction had ultimately followed the majority, Merz acknowledged the significance of the event, describing the day as “so spannend and so ereignisreich” in the history of the Bundestag. The CDU leader went on to extol the virtues of parliamentary democracy, hailing it as the “Sieger der Woche” (winner of the week).
The “Zustrombegrenzungsgesetz” had earlier failed to garner a majority in the second reading, with 338 abstentions, 350 votes against and five abstentions. The proposal had been met with fierce criticism, as the CDU sought to push it through with the support of the AfD. Critics also argued that the plans contravened the German constitution and European law.