Dispute over session room: AfD fights against sardine trees of the SPD!

Dispute over session room: AfD fights against sardine trees of the SPD!

Reichstag, Berlin, Deutschland - In the German Bundestag, the dispute over space usage escalates, especially between the AfD and the SPD. The Otto-Wels-Hall, criticized by the AfD as a "sardine can", is at the center of the controversy, while the AfD urgently demands a larger meeting room. This discussion is further fueled today, on May 21, 2025, because a meeting of the Council of Elders is imminent in which the use of space is to be decided.

The AfD, which has moved into the Bundestag with 151 MPs, is entitled to the Otto-Wels-Haal, which is currently being used by the SPD, which has shrunk to 120 MPs. Despite this numerical discrepancy, the SPD insists on keeping the larger hall in order to offer enough space for visitors from different ministries. SPD parliamentary group leader Matthias Miersch emphasizes that the ability to work and fire protection are guaranteed in the currently used space.

dispute over room sizes

The use of space in the Bundestag is usually done by a majority decision in the Elders Council, and the AfD fears that the decision will be made against them. The faction internal space for the AfD in the former FDP hall only offers 1.7 square meters per MP. Tino Chrupalla, the AfD parliamentary group leader, described these conditions as "unreasonable" and plans to examine legal options. The AfD parliamentary group also demonstrated to draw attention to the cramped conditions.

However, the Bundestag administration has stated that the former FDP hall was adjusted accordingly and has already been checked by a fire protection appraiser. The situation is described as very tense, since the AfD continues to return to a larger space in order to meet the requirements of its parliamentary group size. 

spatial allocation and distribution of the seats

With 735 MPs, the 20th German Bundestag is very diverse. The SPD provides the largest faction with 206 seats, followed by the CDU with 152 seats. The AfD, which has lost 11 seats since the last election, has shrunk to 83 MPs and is now fighting for their lawful place in parliament. The possible assignment of the former FDP hall, which is not acceptable for the AfD, could be the next step in an already tense political climate.

The decision of the Eldestrest Council is expected with great tension, since it is not only about the space, but also about the entire political weight that is attributed to the various political groups in the Bundestag. Regardless of the outcome, the use of space will continue to be the focus of political disputes.

The next meeting of the Council of Elders, in which the parliamentary group question could finally be clarified, takes place on Friday. Until then, the situation remains highly complex and shaped by numerous political interests.