Left Party MP expelled from German parliament for wearing Palestine t-shirt

By&nbspAbby Chitty&nbspwith&nbspEBU

Published on 04/06/2025 - 18:54 GMT+2

Left Party MP Cansin Köktürk was thrown retired of a German parliament plenary enclosure connected Wednesday for wearing a t-shirt pinch nan connection "Palestine" printed connected it, a move deemed a governmental connection by nan parliamentary leadership.

Bundestag President Julia Klöckner intervened during nan session, reminding MPs that governmental messages connected clothing are not permitted successful nan chamber.

"We person agreed and these are nan clear rules of nan House," Klöckner said, "that neither stickers nor immoderate different shape of denomination connected T-shirts play a role."

She continued, "I person asked Ms. Köktürk to alteration her sweater - and we did not make that nationalist - but you apparently refuse. I would past inquire you to time off nan meeting. Please do so."

This is not nan first clip Köktürk has attracted attraction successful parliament. On her very first time arsenic an MP, she appeared successful nan Bundestag wearing a scarf resembling a Palestinian keffiyeh, prompting members of nan blimpish CDU to telephone for an charismatic prohibition connected specified symbols.

Köktürk later took to X to respond to nan incident, writing: "Germany will proceed to proviso weapons to Israel. Not a connection astir complete 50,000 dormant and injured children. I americium being asked by Mrs. Klöckner to time off nan plenary hallway because my garment says 'Palestine.' You person each grounded truthful badly."

While nan Bundestag does not person a elaborate dress code, its rules require MPs and visitors to dress "in keeping pinch nan prestige" of nan institution. Enforcement of this modular is near to nan discretion of nan convention chair.

Past incidents propose nan rumor is not constricted to immoderate 1 statement aliases governmental leaning. In 2017, a 13-year-old woman visiting nan Bundestag connected a schoolhouse travel was asked astatine information to zip up her "Refugees Welcome" sweatshirt to conceal nan slogan.

And successful 2009, a student was stopped for wearing a T-shirt reference "Make love, not war."

More recently, MP Marcel Bauer was doubly expelled from nan plenary enclosure for refusing to region a achromatic beret, which was deemed inappropriate. Both Klöckner and Bundestag Vice President Andrea Lindholz (CSU) ordered him to travel nan parliament's dress norms aliases leave.

These recurring incidents bespeak an ongoing statement successful German authorities complete really acold individual look and governmental symbolism should beryllium allowed wrong nan halls of parliament.