State parliament decides on sub-committees on coronavirus pandemic

The Saxon state parliament will hold a special session on October 25 to decide on parliamentary committees of inquiry to investigate the coronavirus pandemic. The state parliament has received two motions from the AfD parliamentary group and the parliamentary group Bündnis Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW), the administration announced.

In contrast to the AfD, the BSW cannot set up a committee of inquiry on its own and is therefore dependent on votes from other parliamentary groups.

The approval of one fifth of the 120 MPs - 24 votes - is required to set up a sub-committee. The AfD has 40 seats in parliament. Accordingly, the establishment of the committee is considered certain.

Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer (CDU) and Health Minister Petra Köpping (SPD) had also spoken out in favor of a review of the pandemic. However, they consider a commission of inquiry that looks ahead and draws lessons for future pandemics to be more effective.