MP kicked out of Bundestag after wearing Palestine T-shirt

A clash over political expression in the German parliament has led to the expulsion of Left Party MP Cansin Kokturk from the Bundestag plenary hall after she refused to change her T-shirt bearing the inscription "Palestine".

Bundestag President Julia Klockner intervened during Wednesday's parliamentary session, calling Kokturk's attire an inappropriate political statement in a parliamentary environment.

Klockner emphasized that House rules prohibit any form of political messaging displayed through clothing during sessions.

“We have agreed on these rules,” said Klockner, “neither stickers nor messages written on T-shirts are allowed. I asked Ms. Köktürk to change her sweater, but she refused. Under these conditions, I must ask her to leave the hall.”

This is not the first incident where MP Köktürk has drawn attention for her political symbolism.

On her first day in the Bundestag, she wore a traditional Palestinian scarf, sparking strong reactions from CDU conservatives, who called for a ban on such symbols in the plenary chamber.

The case has sparked debate about the boundaries between freedom of expression and respect for institutional neutrality. Some critics of the measure say the rules have been applied unfairly and selectively to certain causes.

Similar incidents have been recorded in the German parliament before. In 2017, a 13-year-old girl visiting the Bundestag on a school trip was forced to cover up a T-shirt with the slogan "Refugees Welcome."

In 2009, a student was expelled for wearing a T-shirt that read “Make love, not war.” More recently, MP Marcel Bauer was twice ejected from the chamber after refusing to remove his black beret.

Supporters of the regulation say that banning political messages on clothing is essential to maintaining the neutrality and seriousness of parliamentary discussions.

But opponents argue that this kind of control over expression is excessive and conflicts with the fundamental rights of elected representatives.

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