Regional politics - Alcohol voyage of CDU-state chairman will be topic in landtag
The alcohol ride of Brandenburg's CDU-State and Faction Chief Jan Redmann is expected to have a sequel in the state parliament. The coalition factions of SPD, CDU, and Greens have shown themselves open to the demand of the opposition Left faction for a special session of the Interior and Legal Affairs committees on police control. With this, the necessary number of votes would have been reached. The CDU wants to demonstrate openness and transparency and has agreed to the motion.
"We will (...) fulfill our responsibility", shared the Parliamentary Business Manager of the CDU faction, Steeven Bretz. "However, we are convinced that no new insights can be gained in neither of the two committees." He warned against a campaign spectacle.
Left: Checking influence of CDU-Ministries
Over a week ago, CDU-State and Faction Chief Redmann, according to his own statements, was stopped by the police while riding an E-Scooter to his apartment in Potsdam with a breath alcohol level of 1.3 promille. A blood alcohol level of 1.1 promille or higher is a criminal offense, not an administrative offense. Redmann informed the media approximately twelve hours after the incident and admitted an error. The blood alcohol level, which was also determined, is still unclear.
The Left wants to clarify the question of influence of the CDU-led Ministries of Interior and Justice on the investigation with the session. They are concerned about the involvement of the employers in the investigation process. "It is about excluding influence of the superiors on the investigation process," said Left deputy Marlen Block, who chairs the Interior Committee.
Police report raises questions
Both coalition partners SPD and Greens also see open questions. The police reportedly first sent the internal report on the control to the Interior Ministry in writing and only a day later electronically internally. According to their statements, such a procedure is intended to ensure that the personal rights of those affected are not violated.
The police did not give a specific reason for the control in Redmann's case in Redmann's statement. In the police report, as reported by the "Märkische Allgemeine" and which also lies with dpa, it says that Redmann was "controlled due to his driving behavior." This does not exclude this.
Special session during the summer break
The factions of SPD and Greens appealed to coalition partners CDU to cooperate for clarification. "Jan Redmann has stated openly and transparently that he will deal with this in the future, and we expect the same from him," said SPD Faction Chief Daniel Keller. "Therefore, we assume that both committees will deal with the raised questions."
The Green Faction Leader Benjamin Raschke said: "The CDU would be well-advised to use a special session for clarification. Our coalition agreement calls for consensus behavior."
For the motion, a fifth of the members are needed in both the Interior and the Legal Affairs committees, that is, three each. The two separate committees are expected to meet jointly. The CDU proposes next coming Wednesday for this - then the state parliament is due to come together for a special session on the supplementary budget during the summer break anyway.
- The proposed special session in the State Parliament aims to address concerns about the influence of CDU-led Ministries in police investigations, particularly in the case of Jan Redmann's drunken E-Scooter ride in Potsdam.
- According to the Left faction, the goal is to prevent any potential interference from CDU superiors in the investigation process.
- SPD Faction Chief Daniel Keller has stressed the importance of transparency and expects the same from Jan Redmann in addressing this issue.
- The special session, which requires the support of a fifth of the members in both the Interior and Legal Affairs committees, is expected to take place during the summer break when the State Parliament is scheduled for a special session on the supplementary budget.
- Green Faction Leader Benjamin Raschke suggests that the CDU would benefit from using the special session for clarification, as it aligns with the coalition agreement's call for consensus behavior.
- Steeven Bretz, the Parliamentary Business Manager of the CDU faction, emphasized the party's commitment to fulfilling its responsibilities but expressed skepticism about the potential for new insights in either committee.
- Both the SPD and Greens partners have raised questions about the processing of the police report in Redmann's case, with concerns about the seemingly delayed internal report submission and the specific reason for the traffic control.
- The police report mentions that Redmann was controlled due to his driving behavior, but it does not provide a more specific reason, raising further suspicion and fueling the call for a thorough investigation.
