Hendrikje Klein elected President of Berlin House of Representatives

Hendrikje Klein, a politician from Die Linke, has been elected as the new President of the Berlin House of Representatives. During the inaugural session of the newly elected parliament, Klein received 149 votes, while 98 members voted against her and nine abstained.

Klein makes history as the first Die Linke politician to hold this position in the capital. She is also the third woman to serve in this role and the first from East Germany. Having served in the House since 2016, her previous experience includes work on an investigative committee regarding a funding scandal.

In her new role, Klein will lead parliamentary sessions, maintain order, and represent the House externally. She has expressed a desire to foster debate while maintaining a respectful tone and aims to make the parliament more accessible to school classes and first-time voters.

The new legislative period consists of 153 members. While the CDU and AfD have nominated candidates for vice-presidency, coalitions including Die Linke, CDU, Greens, and SPD have opposed the election of an AfD politician, which may leave that position vacant for the time being.