President of the German Bundestag Expels Political Symbols
Lawmaker Wearing "Palestine" T-Shirt Removed from Session
"Debate Should Be Through Words... Parliament Must Uphold Dignity"
The President of the German Bundestag has issued a warning to lawmakers, prohibiting them from wearing politically charged T-shirts or using items such as laptop stickers, sparking discontent among members. According to Yonhap News on September 13 (local time), citing German weekly magazines Die Zeit and Der Spiegel, "President Yulia Kleukner sent a letter to all members of the Bundestag on September 9, stating, 'The use of devices with stickers or other messages is strictly prohibited,' and requested that lawmakers refrain from displaying political messages through laptop stickers and similar means."
President Kleukner further stated, "The use of laptops and tablets is generally permitted in the plenary chamber, but please use them appropriately and unobtrusively, given how noticeable they are," adding, "In particular, lawmakers seated in the front rows should be careful not to give the impression of being inattentive to the proceedings." Der Spiegel commented, "The real question is whether lawmakers who are especially fond of stickers will remove them from their laptops and, like clever students, use their smartphones under the desk, or if Kleukner's letter will simply become another pretext for provocation."
Kleukner, a member of the center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU), has called for strict adherence to plenary chamber rules since taking office in May, citing the need to maintain the solemnity of parliament. Previously, when a Green Party lawmaker attended a plenary session wearing a T-shirt with "Palestine" written on it to protest Israel's airstrikes on Gaza, Kleukner expelled the member, stating, "T-shirts with stickers or other markings are not permitted." On the same day, an audience member who shouted pro-Israel slogans was also removed.
Additionally, during the Berlin Queer Festival in July, lawmakers and staff were prohibited from displaying rainbow flags, a symbol of the LGBTQ+ community, on parliamentary buildings and offices. At the time, Chancellor Friedrich Merz, also a CDU member, supported this stance, saying, "The Bundestag is not a circus tent where any flag can be hung."
Since Kleukner's inauguration, yellow ribbons (a symbol of solidarity with Ukraine), cornflowers (a symbol associated with the German far-right), and other pins, badges, and flags have all been banned from the German parliament. Kleukner emphasized, "Debate is conducted through words, not through pins or clothing."
Such regulations have drawn criticism from progressive circles. Robert Habeck, who served as Vice Chancellor and Minister for Economic Affairs until May in the so-called "traffic light coalition" government of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), Free Democratic Party (FDP), and Green Party, criticized Kleukner as "constantly fueling polarization, controversy, and division," and argued that she is unfit for the presidency. In response, Kleukner said, "I know well what it means to step down from government and become the opposition. I urge you to endure with dignity and constructiveness."
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