There is not yet a new government in NRW, but the newly elected state parliament is about to start. In its inaugural meeting, the future presidency, another committee of inquiry into child abuse and an increase in diets will be discussed.
Düsseldorf (dpa / lnw) - Two and a half weeks after the state elections in North Rhine-Westphalia, the new state parliament was constituted on Wednesday (3 p.m.). The state parliament has 195 members - four fewer than before.
The CDU once again became the strongest parliamentary group in the state elections on May 15 and grew by 4 to 76 MPs. In contrast, the SPD faction shrinks by 13 to 56 deputies. With 39 MPs, the Greens have 25 more than before. FDP (previously: 16) and AfD (previously: 13) only have 12 seats each.
CDU and Greens are currently leading coalition talks about a possible first black-green alliance for NRW, led by their party leaders, Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst (CDU) and Mona Neubaur (Greens). If an agreement is reached very quickly, the prime minister could still be elected in one of the last regular plenary sessions before the summer break between June 22nd and 24th. However, the parliamentary groups could also request a special meeting at any time.
The state parliament is to set up a committee of inquiry in its first session. According to information from the German Press Agency, which has received a joint application from the CDU, SPD, Greens and FDP, the investigation into child abuse is to be continued in the new electoral period.
The constituent meeting will be opened by Interior Minister Herbert Reul (CDU), who at 69 is the senior president. The CDU parliamentary group has again nominated André Kuper for the office of regular President of the State Parliament. The 61-year-old has held the highest office in the country since 2017. There are also three deputy positions to be filled. The AfD wants to try again to push through a candidate. So far she had failed.
Also on the agenda of the state parliament is the resolution to increase the monthly parliamentary allowance by around 237 to just under 9840 euros as of July 1st.
