Opposition accuses Hesse government of blocking inquiries!

Opposition accuses Hesse government of blocking inquiries!

Things are boiling in the Hessian state parliament: the opposition is accusing the state government of not fulfilling its crucial obligation to provide information. The criticism arises from deep concerns about the disregard for parliamentary rights and the handling of questions. Green party deputy Jürgen Frömmrich makes it unmistakably clear that the black-red coalition is failing to provide the necessary information in a timely and competent manner. According to ffh.de, a total of 708 inquiries were submitted from January 2024 to January 2025, but only 193 of them - which corresponds to around 27% - were answered in a timely manner. This goes too far for Frömmrich, who is calling for clear changes to strengthen parliament's control of the government.

The AfD in particular sees a need for action and emphasizes that in many cases questions simply remain unanswered. Christian Rohde, AfD parliamentarian, emphasizes that there were often only evasive or meaningless answers. FDP MP Oliver Stirböck joins the criticism and speaks of an erosion of the parliamentary right to ask questions. Interior Minister Roman Poseck (CDU) reacted defensively and pointed to better response numbers, but was also unimpressed by the critical view of his political opponents and emphasized that legal assessments were not the job of the state government.

Parliamentary control instruments at a glance

The central questions for the government are not only relevant in Hesse. The issue of government control and answering parliamentary questions is also taken seriously at the federal level. The Bundestag has established a number of instruments to promote dialogue between members of parliament and the government. These include, among other things, small and large inquiries, written questions, question times as well as current hours and government surveys, as can be found on [bundestag.de](https://www.bundestag.de/parlament/ Tasks/regierungskontrolle_neu/kontrolle/instru-255462).

Particularly small requests, which must be submitted by at least 5% of MPs or a parliamentary group, ensure that current issues can be responded to quickly. For large questions, however, a plenary debate is planned, which often deals with more extensive topics. This shows how MPs demand information from the government and thus contribute to the transparency of governance.

Importance of questioning rights for democracy

The right to ask questions is not only a formal part of parliamentary work, but also an essential basis for controlling the government and ensuring transparency. According to an article by bpb.de, it binds the government to an obligation to respond to inquiries that provide relevant information. Even if there are limits to the right to ask questions, the public pressure should not be underestimated. It is stated in the Gesheft that Parliament also acts under public pressure and can be held accountable.

Overall, it can be said that the ongoing debate about the fulfillment of information obligations in Hesse is triggering an important discourse about the resilience of democracy and the role of parliamentary control mechanisms. Citizens have a right to know how their representatives make decisions and how these decisions are being carried out.