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Tap-proof meeting room of the Parliamentary Control Committee in the Bundestag (archive).
Photo: Michael Kappeler / picture alliance / dpa
Three months after the new Bundestag met, an important secret committee has not yet been filled.
Because of a dispute between the SPD and the Greens, the parliamentary control body has not yet been re-elected.
Members from the last electoral period currently control the Office for the Protection of the Constitution, the Federal Intelligence Service (BND) and the Military Counterintelligence Service (MAD).
Among them are Patrick Sensburg (CDU) and Roman Reusch (AfD), who no longer sit in the Bundestag.
The SPD is claiming the post as the strongest parliamentary group and would like to make Uli Grötsch chairman of the committee.
The Greens want to push through Konstantin von Notz.
The Greens argue that the SPD provides the chancellor, the interior minister and the defense minister, who are responsible for the secret services.
Therefore, a chief controller with a different party book would be better.
Discussions between the leaders of the factions have so far not led to a solution.
Both candidates are considered capable and enjoy respect beyond their party.
If the dispute drags on, "the most important body for controlling the secret services would be effectively unable to act," said Union faction manager Thorsten Frei (CDU) to SPIEGEL.
"In the coalition agreement, the traffic light announced increased checks by the security authorities." Measured against this, it was a "false start," criticizes Frei.
It is also still unclear who will be the so-called permanent representative of the body in the future, a kind of special investigator with his own staff.
The Parliamentary Control Committee always meets in secret.
In a tap-proof room, the heads of the security authorities have to answer questions from the deputies.
The committee currently has nine members, but is likely to be expanded in the future.
The parliamentarians regularly publish reports on their activities or issue public statements on explosive issues.
The current chairman is Roderich Kiesewetter (CDU).
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