These were words that are seldom heard by Bundestag members: After the collapse of CDU politician Matthias Hauer, left-wing member Anke Domscheit-Berg had sharply criticized the working conditions in parliament. These are "misanthropes," the digital expert told the SPIEGEL. Domscheit-Berg complained about the workload and the missing breaks - but also complained that it was not allowed to bring food and drinks to the plenum.
Domscheit-Berg received support from parliamentary colleagues. The SPD politician Karl Lauterbach told the "Bild" newspaper, the job of the member of parliament was "highly unhealthy". While ordinary workers recovered, "we make appointments with fever and make speeches". The Social Democrat Daniela Kolbe thanked Domscheit-Berg, who had first expressed their criticism on Twitter. "Politics will not get better if the hamster wheel turns faster and faster," says Kolbe.
But not everyone considers the allegations in their vehemence justified. Now Jan Korte, Parliamentary Director of the Left, speaks. Korte criticizes the descriptions of his own group colleague. "It is extremely strange to say that members of parliament would work under misanthropic conditions," said Korte the SPIEGEL. "There are few professional groups that are as privileged as members of the Bundestag." Therefore, such allegations are incomprehensible. "My grandfather was a steelworker, my mother a nurse, it was hard work, but they never used the term misanthropic in this context," says Korte.
The CDU deputy Hauer had stopped suddenly on Thursday during a speech and shook. With the help of colleagues, he had to lie down on the floor. Later he came to the hospital. In the evening he announced that it was "nothing serious".
However, there was another incident in Parliament on Thursday. After a feeble attack also needed the left-politician Simone Barrientos medical assistance.
