German politician Marcel Bauer, a member of the Left party, has announced that he will temporarily forego wearing his signature basketwork cap in the German parliament, the Bundestag. In an interview with the German news magazine Der Spiegel, Bauer stated that he would cease to wear the cap in the parliament’s plenum until the legal situation regarding headgear in the Bundestag is clarified.
The controversy began when Bundestag President Julia Klöckner (CDU) asked Bauer to remove the cap, citing concerns that it might compromise the dignity of the house. When Bauer returned to the plenum wearing the cap, he was subsequently excluded from the session, with an appeal to the decision being unsuccessful.
Bauer has now agreed to put the cap away, at least for the time being, stating that he will wait for the Bundestag’s leadership to clarify its stance on the matter. He has, however, expressed his disagreement with the notion that the cap is somehow unworthy. According to Bauer, the dignity of a politician lies not in the headgear they wear, but in their ability to represent the majority of the population and maintain contact with the people.
In his view, there is no logical reason why he should be allowed to wear the cap when speaking to constituents at their front doors, but not in the Bundestag, where he is supposed to represent the people. The debate highlights the ongoing discussion about the dress code and the balance between individual freedom and the need for a dignified and respectful atmosphere in the German parliament.