Community Life - The Left and Green parties have refused to accept VIP invitations for the European Football Championships.
The parliamentarians from the left and green parties in the Berlin state parliament have decided against accepting free VIP tickets for the European Championship football matches. Both factions made their decision known on Tuesday.
The Senate Sports Administration revealed that tickets for European Championship matches in Berlin were offered to all five factions. The AfD faction announced that some of their members would use these complimentary tickets. The CDU and SPD had not yet responded to an inquiry from the dpa.
"As members of the Berlin state parliament, we often represent not only our faction and party, but also our city at many events," commented Anne Helm and Carsten Schatz, the leaders of the left faction, on their decision not to accept the EM tickets. "But at the football matches of the European Championship, we believe that it should be the volunteers in the sports sector who represent our city, not the politicians."
The Left faction proposed that: "Since we are unable to transfer the tickets to someone else, we would like to ask the sports senator to give these tickets, particularly to youth trainers and coaches."
Iris Spranger, the interior and sports senator (SPD), expressed a willingness to consider this suggestion. She pointed out that the free tickets would come from UEFA, the European football association, and that the sports administration would be responsible for distributing them. If the Left faction named specific recipients for the tickets, the sports administration would pass them on to UEFA.
So far, it was already known that all senators and senators should each receive two free tickets for European Championship matches in Berlin. According to the Senate Sports Administration, Mayor of the Capital Michael Müller (SPD) and Senator Spranger would each receive tickets for all six matches in the Berlin Olympic Stadium.
Additionally, tickets were also extended to the presidium of the House of Representatives: two VIP tickets each for the president Cornelia Seibeld and the vice-presidents.
Other tickets are available for official ambassadors of the host city Berlin, other supporters, and local sponsors. This also includes district mayors of Mitte and Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf (one card each), the President of the Constitutional Court, and some representatives of Berlin sports.
The Left faction reported that they had received 21 free tickets, which is the same as the number of their parliamentarians. Among these tickets were three tickets for the final, two for the semi-finals, and five for the quarter-finals, all in the expensive category 1. Along with the tickets came an invitation to a pre-match reception to prepare for the match. "The total value of the tickets is around 7,000 euros," said the Left faction. The faction's leadership decided not to accept these benefits.
The European Championship in Germany will take place from June 14 to July 14, with Berlin as one of the venues for the tournament. There will be a fan mile in front of the Brandenburg Gate for public viewing.
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The decision of the Left and Green parties to decline VIP invitations for the European Championship aligns with their stance in Berlin's state parliament. The CDU and SPD have yet to comment on their plans, while the AfD confirmed some of their members will use the offered tickets. Iris Spranger, the SPD sports senator, is open to considering the Left's proposal to distribute the tickets to youth trainers and coaches.
The Left's suggestion comes in light of the 21 free tickets they received, including several for high-category matches and a pre-match reception. The total value of these benefits amounts to approximately 7,000 euros. The European Championship, which will take place from June 14 to July 14, will see Berlin as one of its venues, with the UEFA providing the free tickets.
The Senate Sports Administration has distributed tickets for all senators and some Berlin dignitaries, such as the mayor and vice-presidents of the House of Representatives. The event will also feature an Olympic Stadium Berlin as a venue, with public viewing in the form of a fan mile in front of the Brandenburg Gate.
The news of the Simple Left's response to the VIP tickets for the European Championship follows a series of events in Germany, including the return to normality in challenging snow and ice conditions, a legal battle over an AfD protest, and the German national soccer team's participation in European Championship qualifying matches. The aftermath of heavy flooding also remains a concern, as it has lessened but left behind an aftermath of mud so far.
The impacts of these events and the UEFA European Championship in Germany highlight the role of politics in shaping community life, featuring parties such as the Left, Green, CDU, and AfD, as well as organizations like UEFA and the Senate Sports Administration. These entities facilitate and govern events in sports, politics, and community life, affecting the lives of citizens in Germany's diverse cities like Berlin.
