- Bovenschulte criticizes no-confidence motion against Senator
Bremen's Mayor Andreas Bovenschulte has criticized the announced vote of no confidence by the CDU against Senator Sascha Aulepp as "classic summer theater." "I'm almost worried about the substantive quality of our opposition," the SPD politician told the Bremer "Weser-Kurier." The Christian Democrats want to apply for a special session of the Bremen Parliament. The reason is the inadequate and opaque leadership of the education authority.
Already about two months ago, the CDU faction had demanded a change. "Every day that Senator Aulepp remains in office is not a good day for Bremen," said Frank Imhoff, the faction's chairman. Aulepp (SPD) is criticized, among other things, for the lack of around 1300 kindergarten places and for imposing a budget freeze on her department. The factions of the Alliance 90/The Greens and the FDP each stated that they support the vote of no confidence.
Bovenschulte said: "First, the experts from the CDU urge us for months to spend more money at all possible places in the budget. Then the finance experts of the CDU demand that we save several hundred million euros in the budget." Now the Senate is criticized for the education senator imposing a budget freeze to ensure the money lasts until the end of the year: "That has nothing to do with serious politics."
The removal of a senator is regulated in Article 110 of the state constitution. At least a quarter of the members of the parliament must submit a corresponding application. For a successful vote of no confidence, the majority of the members of the parliament is required. Only after the parliament has decided on the succession, the decision against a senator is effective.
The SPD, being a part of the parliament, has not yet declared its position on the CDU's proposed vote of no confidence against Senator Aulepp. Despite the criticisms from the CDU and the support from the Green and FDP factions, the SPD politician expresses concerns about the quality of opposition.
Despite the CDU's call for a special session due to the education authority's leadership issues, the SPD's Bovenschulte argues that the budget freeze imposed by Senator Aulepp, an SPD member, is not an example of serious politics.
