German Left Party’s Leader Urges Union Faction to Support Parliamentary Control Committee Member
The leader of the German Left Party, Jan van Aken, has called on the Union faction to support Heidi Reichinnek, a Left Party member, in the Parliamentary Control Committee (PKGr) to prevent damage to democracy.
In an interview with the Rheinische Post, van Aken stated, “If Heidi Reichinnek is not elected to the Parliamentary Control Committee, it would not only be a loss for parliamentary control, but for democracy as a whole.” He emphasized, “Democracy only functions with independent control.”
Van Aken also expressed concern over the establishment of investigative committees. “If the SPD and CDU do not move, there will be no investigative committee in this legislative period. The Greens and Left Party will remain together below the 25 percent threshold required for establishment, making it convenient for the coalition, but ultimately crushing democracy” he said. He ruled out the possibility of an investigative committee with AfD support, saying it was “not even a topic for discussion.”
The German parliament is set to vote on the members of the influential PKGr, responsible for controlling the federal intelligence services, on the following day. The Union faction has announced it will not support Reichinnek, leaving the possibility of her failure to secure a seat.