Overview

• The 21st Bundestag held its inaugural session 30 days after the federal election, with heightened political polarization evident in its composition.
• Julia Klöckner (CDU) was elected Bundestagspräsidentin with 382 votes, becoming the fourth woman to hold the position and emphasizing civility in parliamentary debates.
• Gregor Gysi, serving as Alterspräsident, opened the session with a speech advocating for peace, mutual respect, and overparty collaboration, though it received mixed reactions.
• An AfD motion to revert Alterspräsident selection rules to favor their oldest member, Alexander Gauland, was rejected by all other parties.
• The Bundestag also rejected the AfD’s candidate for vice president, underscoring the continued resistance to the party's influence in the chamber.