In a stalemate, the SPD, Grüne, and Union have failed to agree on a new law defining the tasks and responsibilities of the police at the German Bundestag, according to a “Spiegel” report.
Currently, the Bundestagspolizei, comprising around 200 officers, is subordinated to the Parliament’s President, with its area of operation limited to the Bundestag buildings, as stipulated in the German Constitution. The SPD and Grüne aim to change this with their 107-page draft.
The SPD’s deputy faction leader, Dirk Wiese, justifies the legal initiative, citing the attempted storming of the Reichstag building by a right-wing mob in August 2020. It would be “a devastating sign in the face of the right-wing shift in our country” if the Union were to stand against the improvement of parliamentary security, he said.
However, the CDU/CSU faction emphasizes unclear terminology in the draft, with the responsible rapporteur, Michael Breilmann (CDU), stating that the goal is “a well-considered, solid, and law-abiding solution, not a political quick fix on the last stretch of a legislative period.