German Politics Continue to Shape the Parliamentary Control Group
The Social Democratic Party (SPD) views the Parliamentary Control Group, despite its reduced size, as a functional and diverse body. According to SPD’s Fraktionsvize, Sonja Eichwede, in an interview with the Rheinische Post, the group will continue to play a crucial role in the current legislative period, reflecting the democratic and parliamentary diversity in its composition.
Eichwede, a nominee for the SPD in the group, emphasized that the selection of members is a matter of trust, with the vote taking place in a secret and free ballot. The SPD is clear that members of democratic factions should be represented in the group and Eichwede expressed her hope that the Bundestag would choose a representative from the Left Party, ensuring the opposition is represented with two members.
However, Eichwede also made it clear that the Alternative for Germany (AfD) is not a normal party, with many of its members holding extreme views and therefore, their candidates should not be elected to the group. As a member of the PKGr, Eichwede sees it as her duty to ensure the control of the group is effective, critical and in line with the principles of the democratic state of law.
The group’s responsibility is particularly significant, as it oversees the work of Germany’s intelligence services, a task that has become increasingly complex in the face of growing security risks, according to Eichwede.