Berlin, Reichstag: Ex-deputies complain about new security precautions

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Former Minister of Labour Franz Josef Jung (CDU), ex-Minister of Economic Affairs Rainer Brüderle (FDP)

Photo: Rainer Jensen / picture-alliance / dpa

They feel they are under "general suspicion": former members of the Bundestag have complained about a tightening of security measures in parliament. The letter from the Association of Former Members of the German Bundestag and the European Parliament is available to SPIEGEL.

Specifically, it is about a change in the guest regulations. If former members of the Bundestag want to lead groups of visitors through parliament in the future, they will no longer be able to organize it themselves. Registration must be made through current MEPs or political groups.

The background: security concerns. The case of the former AfD member of the Bundestag and terror suspect Birgit Malsack-Winkemann had caused great excitement in parliament. In 2021, she is said to have infiltrated members of the alleged terrorist group around Heinrich XIII Prince Reuss into the Reichstag building and led them through parliament. After that, the Bundestag changed its house rules and introduced stricter security controls, for example.

Now the rules for ex-MPs have also been tightened. "As a result of the new guest regulations, our members feel that they are under general suspicion of a security risk," the letter from the former parliamentarians reads. Former minister Franz Josef Jung (CDU), the president of the association, and Rainer Brüderle (FDP), its vice-president, have signed.

The ex-members of parliament "use the tour of the Bundestag with their guests as an opportunity to pass on their wealth of experience as former members of parliament," the letter says. Former parliamentarians doubt that the new rule will increase security. Even with the stricter requirements, "the former AfD member of parliament could have made her exploratory tour with guests through the Bundestag with the support of an AfD member of parliament's office."

The practical implementation of the new regulation is also problematic. As former members of parliament, they know that the staff of the members of parliament are "more than busy" with their important parliamentary tasks, especially during the weeks of the session. Now, in addition, they will not only take over the registration of guests of former members of the Bundestag, but also accompany them."

The AfD parliamentary group has "succeeded – off-screen, so to speak – in inflicting damage on democratic culture and severely curtailing the freedom of former parliamentarians," it continues. In the letter, the association appeals to the members of parliament to withdraw the new regulation for guests.

However, the Malsack-Winkemann case was not the only security-related incident in recent years. In 2020, right-wing activists had entered the Reichstag as guests of AfD deputies. They insulted, filmed and harassed the then Minister of Economic Affairs, Peter Altmaier (CDU). This incident also shocked many members of the Bundestag.