Overview

• On Wednesday Julia Klöckner circulated guidance telling MPs to use laptops and tablets only in a moderate, non-disruptive way, with extra restraint expected in the front rows.
• The rules expressly forbid using devices that display stickers, slogans or other messages, extending neutrality expectations to visible hardware in the chamber.
• Smartphones remain allowed, but calls, selfies and any photo or video recording during sittings are prohibited, attention is to remain on speakers, and the guidance applies to federal ministers as well.
• Left Party floor manager Ina Latendorf said the note largely codifies existing practice and welcomed clarity, adding that stickered devices had been seen particularly in the AfD benches.
• The step follows earlier clampdowns on political symbols, including an ejection over a 'Palestine' shirt and blocking a rainbow flag on the Reichstag, as observers question how strictly phone curbs can be enforced given MPs’ reliance on constant digital communication.