BSW avoids Selenskyj's speech - AfD suggests something analogous

Addressing the Bundestag [ - BSW avoids Selenskyj's speech - AfD suggests something analogous

AfD lawmakers have suggested that their members shouldn't attend Ukraine's President, Volodymyr Zelensky's speech in the German parliament this afternoon. This information was shared by the German Press Agency yesterday, obtained from parliamentary sources. However, it's the individual decision of each lawmaker to determine their participation. The AfD faction will discuss this matter in their meeting right before the speech on Tuesday afternoon, they revealed.

The Left Alliance (Die Linke) has confirmed that their party members won’t participate in Zelensky’s speech either. They had mentioned this before on “t-online”. In an official statement from the Left Alliance, it states, “President Zelensky contributes to a dangerous escalation spiral, considering the risk of an atomic conflict with severe repercussions for Europe; therefore, he should not be given a special event in the German Bundestag, as this can be interpreted as a sign of unquestioning approval of his policies. We cannot support this.”

The Bundestag has been heavily guarded in anticipation of Zelensky's visit. Police boats cruised the Spree and the plenary hall was sniffed by police dogs. Today marks Zelensky's first personal speech in the German parliament, followed by video conferences earlier.

Greens parliamentary head Britta Haßelmann jocularly reacted to Wagenknecht's announcement. "I'm surprised that Sahra Wagenknecht is attending the session today," she mused in Berlin on Tuesday. Wagenknecht has been one of the least active MPs in previous sessions. Haßelmann added, "As an MP, one holds a responsibility to participate in the Bundestag. You receive an MP allowance and cost allowance for that, and expectant citizens also expect this commitment." Haßelmann added, "The Greens consider it an honor to have Zelensky speaking in the German Bundestag today. We are excited to hear what he has to say."

Read also:

1. Sahra Wagenknecht, a prominent figure in the German political landscape, has not yet announced her intentions regarding Volodymyr Zelensky's speech in the Bundestag, contrasting her previous low participation in parliamentary sessions.
2. The Russia-Ukraine conflict has been a topic of discussion among German lawmakers, with some expressing concerns about President Zelensky's speech in the Bundestag potentially leading to a war escalation.
3. AfD representatives in the Bundestag have been criticized by their German opponents for considering skipping Zelensky's speech, with some believing this could be seen as a show of support for Russian viewpoints on the ongoing war.
4. In response to the AfD's suggested absence from Zelensky's speech, T-Online reported on the Left Alliance (Die Linke)'s stance, stating their disapproval of Zelensky's presence in the Bundestag given his policies potentially contributing to a nuclear conflict.
5. Britta Haßelmann, the leader of the Greens parliamentary group, spoke about Wagenknecht's participation in the Bundestag session, emphasizing the importance of MPs fulfilling their responsibilities despite potential disagreements with individual speeches or policies.
6. The news about AfD's consideration of absenting themselves from Zelensky's speech and Die Linke's opposing stance, both reported by the German Press Agency, have sparked a lively debate within German political circles regarding the implications of this occasion on Russia-Ukraine relations.

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