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Members of the Left Party in the Bundestag
Photo: Kay Nietfeld / dpa
A few days before its dissolution, the Left Party submitted an application to Bundestag President Bärbel Bas (SPD) for recognition as a group. The letter, dated 1 December, was obtained by the dpa news agency. The group was constituted on 29 November. The application for recognition by the Bundestag will begin on December 6 – the day of the planned dissolution of the previous Left Party.
In order to admit a group and determine its rights, a Bundestag resolution is required. This could theoretically take place in the last week of this year's session, from 11 to 15 December. Compared to a parliamentary group, a group has slightly fewer parliamentary rights and also receives less financial support from the state treasury.
In support of their request, MEPs argue in the letter that they have common political objectives and wish to continue their joint parliamentary work. They refer to a 1991 ruling by the Federal Constitutional Court, which laid down certain requirements for recognition as a group. These would be fulfilled. "Our group is entitled to recognition and adequate resources in terms of material and human resources," it continues.
In mid-November, the Left Party decided to dissolve on 6 December. The background to this is the resignation of former parliamentary group leader Sahra Wagenknecht and nine other MPs from the party. Without it, the group will lose its minimum size of 37 MEPs and will have to be liquidated. The future group will consist of 28 MEPs.
The deputies around Wagenknecht want to found a new party in January, the first party congress is to take place on January 27, according to SPIEGEL information (read more about what the new party project is planning here). The deputies around Wagenknecht are also probably striving to form their own group in the Bundestag.
til/dpa