German Bundestag, Plenarprotokoll 19/230, pp. 29541-29542.
Right honorable Herr President. Ladies and gentlemen.
“We want to strengthen the people’s cooperation in the
formation of the democratic will. For that, we will further develop and improve
the means of petition.” With these words, the FDP and CDU/CSU already in the
coalition contract of 2009 wanted to introduce a so-called citizens plenary
procedure [Bürgerplenarverfahren] in
the Bundestag. What to this day has happened? Nothing.
In the coalition contract of 2017 is: “We will institute an
experts commission which shall prepare proposals as to whether and in which
form our proven parliamentary representative democracy can be expanded by means
of additional elements of citizens participation and direct democracy.” What
has become of this? You may likely well surmise: Simply nothing. A few months
before the end of the legislative period, the Groko [grand coalition] stands ever still at the starting blocks on
the theme of citizens participation and you are simply motionless – not because
you can do nothing, but quite simply because you do not want to.
On that account, the citizens in Germany require an
alternative, we of the AfD. We want to venture more democracy and today
introduce a citizens hour in the German Bundestag [Drucksache 19/29781]. In the citizens hour, a controversial exchange
of views takes place on petitions with more than 100,000 co-signers.
Consultation on the application with the petitioners themselves in a public
hearing remains thereby unaffected and continues to take place. The importance
of the citizens’ application thereby increases substantially by means of the
deliberation in plenary session. The citizens’ concerns deserve more attention,
and it would come to that if they were debated in plenary session live on
public broadcasting or via an expanded parliamentary television which we also
propose [Drucksache 19/29785].
With a citizens hour, the Bundestag draws nearer again to
the citizens. There is finally a direct opportunity for the citizens themselves
to decide which themes need be necessarily deliberated in plenary session. This
would animate more citizens again for politics because now they themselves
could control the government. This would also be a starting point for a broad
social debate, again more characterized by that what counts is not the better
scene design, but the better argument in the interest of the citizens.
The citizens are of course annoyed with politics because you
all too often only simulate democracy. Just before the summer pause, a citizens
council [Bürgerrat], and indeed the
second, shall be commissioned by Bundestag President Schäuble. This superfluous
body has in no respect a right to decide. It is thereby clear that citizens
councils are much more a symptom of the crisis of parliamentarism than a
solution thereof.
Democracy ultimately will not be inspired by means of
state-financed citizens councils which – naturally by pure happenstance – will be
supported by non-neutral, civil society organizations so as to produce
purposeful, desired results. No, democracy first becomes a living thing by the
cultivation of a tolerant debate culture open to result, which is oriented to
the common good, and in which different opinions will not be defamed as hatred
and incitement.
The introduction of a citizens hour as our alternative to
citizens councils is such a step in the right direction for more democracy on
the Federal level, a step which completely permits it to be more compatible
with a thereby strengthened parliamentary democracy.
If you of the older parties now however nevertheless reject
this motion, then it needs be asked: Of what actually are you afraid? Do you
really have so much fear of the citizens that you may not for once permit in
plenary session debate in detail on successful public petitions? That would
really be a proof of incapacity.
Yet a rejection from you would have yet more drastic
effects. Namely, it would show the citizens that we are not only the single
delegation in the German Bundestag which is consistently committed to
nationwide referendums on essential decisions, such as possible infringements
of the basic rights, and to a direct democracy on the Swiss model. No, we are
also the sole delegation which then wants to give the citizens a citizens hour
in the Bundestag. We are thereby the most determined democrats in the German
Bundestag.
Yet you can still prevent it. You need only vote in favor. So
pull yourselves together; before all, the colleagues in committee! Let us make
of our citizens committee a lever for more direct democracy and let us finally
completely debate citizens petitions in plenary session.
Personally, I rejoice already at the first citizens hour in
the German Bundestag. If the citizens be asked what the theme should be, then
they presently say quite clearly on diverse platforms: “Prevent any obligatory
vaccination of children.” Thus listen to the citizens!
Many thanks.
[trans: tem]
