- Bremen education senator remains - motion rejected
The motion of no confidence against Bremen's Senator of Education, Sascha Aulepp (SPD), has failed. The Bremen Parliament rejected a corresponding motion in a special session with 46 out of 85 votes. 36 members voted in favor, three abstained. The CDU faction accused the senator of inadequate leadership of the education authority and wanted to withdraw its confidence.
Motion of no confidence due to budget freeze
CDU faction leader Frank Imhoff listed fundamental problems of the Bremen education system: the poor performance of the smallest federal state in education studies, many students' poor German skills, lack of specialist staff in nurseries and schools, and the high dropout rate. Aulepp is responsible for this, said Imhoff, addressing her directly. "We no longer believe in a turnaround in the education department, at least not with your leadership."
However, the CDU faction stated that the decisive factor for the motion of no confidence was a budget freeze imposed by the department five weeks after the budget was passed. "There is chaos, especially in the budget and financial matters," criticized the CDU faction leader. The annual budget for energy costs was already spent after six months.
The FDP and Bündnis 90/Die Grünen factions supported the motion of no confidence. However, the opposition could only muster a maximum of 39 votes, with a majority of at least 44 votes needed. The ruling factions of the SPD, Greens, and Left stood behind Aulepp.
Bremen's head of government defends the Senator of Education
The motion of no confidence was "unfounded in every respect," said Bremen's head of government, Andreas Bovenschulte (SPD). The criticized budget freeze was a sign of the responsible action of the Senator of Education. "Therefore, of course, no schoolchild will have to stay at home, and no kindergarten place will be cut or not established. No teacher will be reduced," emphasized Bovenschulte. The department is already working on solutions to the financial problems.
Aulepp has a "Herculean task" to accomplish, said the mayor. Bremen has 6,000 more children than a few years ago, and nursery and school care must be significantly expanded. Blaming Aulepp for the nationwide shortage of specialists is "not serious and not fair," argued Bovenschulte. "Under these extremely difficult framework conditions, Senator of Education Sascha Aulepp is committed to the interests of our children with the utmost dedication." The majority of members finally reaffirmed their confidence in the senator and rejected the motion of no confidence in a secret ballot.
Only one motion of no confidence in Bremen has been successful so far
Individual government members can only be recalled in Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, and Bremen. In Bremen, this option is regulated in Article 110 of the state constitution. At least a quarter of the members of the parliament must submit a corresponding application. A majority of the members of the parliament is required for a successful motion of no confidence. Only after the parliament has decided on the succession is the decision against a member of the senate effective.
Lastly, the Bremen CDU sought a vote of no confidence against the then Finance Senator Karoline Linnert (Greens) in 2016 - and it failed. The application's background included the imbalance at the Bremen Landesbank (BLB), which has since merged with the Norddeutsche Landesbank.
Only one of the 23 votes of no confidence in Bremen has been successful so far: in 1995, the then Green Environment Senator Ralf Fucks had to step down. The reason for this application was the so-called "Piepmatz" affair, which involved a dispute over the designation of bird protection areas.
SPD's role in the motion of no confidence
Despite the CDU's attempts, the SPD and its coalition partners, the Greens and the Left, stood behind Sascha Aulepp, ensuring her survival as Senator of Education.
Historical context of SPD's confidence in senators
In the past, only one motion of no confidence against a senator in Bremen has been successful, and that was in 1995 against the Green Environment Senator Ralf Fucks. However, the SPD has consistently demonstrated its confidence in their senators, as evidenced by their support for Aulepp in the recent motion of no confidence.
