Heidi Reichinnek | Control committee in the Bundestag: CSU does not want Left politician
When the Bundestag convenes this Wednesday, the appointment of several sensitive committees will be on the agenda. Among other things, the members of the Parliamentary Control Committee, the Confidence Committee, and the Committee pursuant to Section 3 of the Federal Debt Management Act will be appointed. The former monitors the work of the secret services, the latter decides on expenditures subject to secrecy, especially in the area of intelligence services. And the third oversees the Federal Republic of Germany's debt and its management. All three committees negotiate matters that are subject to secrecy.
The Left Party intends to nominate prominent members of parliament for these committees. Parliamentary group leader Heidi Reichinnek will serve on the Parliamentary Control Committee, Dietmar Bartsch on the Confidence Committee, and party leader Ines Schwerdtner on the Federal Debt Management Act Committee. Christian Görke, parliamentary director of the Left Party, announced this on Monday. With this prominent appointment, The Left Party aims to underscore its ambition to have a significant say in parliament following its success in the federal election. Candidates need the so-called chancellor majority in the Bundestag vote—that is, a majority not only of the members present, but of all elected members.
A party-political dispute surrounds Heidi Reichinnek's candidacy. This is unusual in that no parliamentary group leader has ever been appointed to this committee. The CSU, in particular, opposes Reichinnek, arguing that the intelligence committee needs "suitable personnel rather than party-political provocation." Reichinnek would rely on many votes from the conservative-red coalition for her election. Parliamentary group manager Görke warned the CDU/CSU against "blundering into the matter." In this context, Görke reminded the CDU/CSU of the day of the chancellor election. Accusing Reichinneck of unsuitability is also outrageous because the parliamentary group leader had contributed to ensuring that a second round of voting could be held quickly after Friedrich Merz lost the first round. A democratic two-thirds majority in the plenary session may once again be needed, Görke said.
The Left Party will elect its leadership this Tuesday. The group leaders from the last legislative period, Reichinnek and Sören Pellmann, initially led the new group during its founding phase; it is considered likely that both will run for and be elected for another two-year term. Another important issue will likely be who from the Left Party will take over the vice-chairmanship of the important Finance Committee. Because the AfD is entitled to the chair, but its candidate was defeated, the deputy will effectively head the committee until further notice.
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