German parliament fines Die Linke MP Cansin Köktürk €2,000 under revised discipline rules
Bundestag Vice President Andrea Lindholz imposed a €2,000 fine on Die Linke MP Cansin Köktürk after three formal reprimands within three sitting weeks, marking the first penalty under parliament's stricter disciplinary code.
Altercation in the budget debate
During a federal budget debate on 11 September 2026, Alternative for Germany (AfD) politician René Springer addressed the financing of the pension system and citizen basic income. In his speech, Springer criticized Chancellor Friedrich Merz and argued that state basic support should benefit German citizens first. Springer also called for cutting welfare for asylum seekers and recipients facing outstanding arrest warrants, detailing his party's stance on job center protocols.
We will make sure that when they arrive at the job center, only one thing happens, namely handcuffs click and not a single euro more is paid.
Die Linke member of parliament Cansin Köktürk interrupted Springer from the plenary floor, calling the statements racist. When Bundestag Vice President Andrea Lindholz (CSU), who was presiding over the session, asked Köktürk to ask a formal question or maintain order, the exchange escalated. Lindholz warned the 33-year-old lawmaker before issuing a formal call to order. Köktürk responded directly to the presiding officer by shouting that Lindholz was protecting fascists, which prompted Lindholz to issue a second call to order. Köktürk subsequently walked out of the plenary chamber under protest.
First penalty under tightened rules
The two calls to order on Friday marked the third time within three sitting weeks that Köktürk received a formal reprimand from parliament leadership. A Bundestag spokesperson confirmed that her first call to order had occurred on 25 June 2026, before the summer recess, following her floor remarks regarding the AfD.
Do you know what the actual problem is? The immigration of violent fascists into our democratic parliament.
Following the three reprimands within three sitting weeks, Lindholz applied the newly revised rules of procedure of the Bundestag. Under these tightened regulations, members who accumulate three calls to order in a three-week span face a fine of 2,000 euros, which is allocated to the federal budget. Repeat violations carry a penalty of 4,000 euros. The measure makes Köktürk the first lawmaker penalized under the updated disciplinary framework. Bundestag members receive a taxable monthly compensation of 11,833.47 euros.
- Köktürk receives her first call to order for comments regarding the AfD.
- Two calls to order during budget debate trigger a 2,000 euro fine under new rules.
- Köktürk criticizes parliament leadership in social media posts following the penalty.
Online reactions and prior incidents
On 12 September 2026, Köktürk addressed the fine on her Instagram account, which has 163,000 followers. She stated that she accepted the calls to order in the name of antifascism and accused Lindholz of promoting a debate culture with fascists.
The dispute follows earlier disciplinary episodes involving Köktürk, who entered parliament in 2025 via the North Rhine-Westphalia state list and serves as social policy spokesperson for Die Linke. Bundestag President Julia Klöckner (CDU) previously ordered Köktürk to leave the plenary chamber for wearing a t-shirt displaying the word Palestine, and Köktürk drew scrutiny for posing in the building with a Palestinian scarf. Klöckner has repeatedly criticized both Die Linke and the AfD for using parliamentary disruptions to generate material for social media. Other opposition figures also expressed frustration during the debate, including Green politician Timon Dzienus, who sharply criticized government budget allocations.
