Constitutional amendment would change state parliament’s seniority rule, keeping AfD out

North Rhine-Westphalia's parliament is set to change who presides over its opening session, replacing the oldest lawmaker with the member who has served the longest. CDU, SPD, Greens and FDP factions jointly announced the proposed constitutional amendment.

Officially, the parties say the change would recognize parliamentary experience and ensure that a new state parliament begins in an orderly fashion rather than becoming a stage for political performances. In practice, the rule would keep the AfD from holding the post for many years because it is a relatively young party and its lawmakers cannot yet have longer service than representatives of the CDU or SPD.

The role matters during the formation of a new parliament. The senior presiding member chairs the first sitting until lawmakers elect the new parliament president. In Thuringia in 2024, the oldest member, 73-year-old AfD politician Jürgen Treutler, opened the session, which descended into chaos.

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This bill makes the state constitution less democratic.

The four parties also want to amend the parliament's rules so that committee chairs are elected. At present, factions can choose the chair of a committee assigned to them, including the AfD. AfD lawmaker Hartmut Beucker currently chairs the science committee. In the Bundestag, where committee leaders are already elected, the AfD has no chair because its candidates have failed to win a majority.

AfD parliamentary leader Martin Vincentz criticized the proposal, saying, "This bill makes the state constitution less democratic." He argued that minority rights would be curtailed and power structures entrenched by parties that, he said, are trusted by fewer voters.

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Minority rights are being curtailed, power structures entrenched, and this is being done by the very parties that fewer and fewer voters trust.