There was never more talk – and there was never more back and forth about the state budget. The state parliament looks back on an extraordinary year.
Düsseldorf (dpa / lnw) – 2022 was an outstanding year for the Düsseldorf state parliament: Not only was the first black-green government in North Rhine-Westphalia sworn in at the end of June. On December 8, the members of parliament experienced the longest plenary session in the history of the state parliament. It was only at 1.47 a.m. the following day that President André Kuper said goodbye to her after more than 15 hours of debate in “one remaining good night”.
As the state parliament notes in its annual statistics for 2022, which is available to the German Press Agency in Düsseldorf, the second longest session in the state’s history also took place this year: on April 7, 2022, it also lasted from 10 a.m. to 1:10 a.m. the following day.
A total of 450 agenda items were discussed in 34 plenary sessions this year and 54 laws passed – including the highly controversial and repeatedly improved laws for the state budget and a debt-financed crisis rescue package.
“The parliamentary debates and decisions were shaped by the consequences of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine: inflation, energy shortages or the admission of refugees,” the state parliament said. Accordingly, Parliament decided to take measures to cushion the consequences for citizens, the economy, cities and communities.
Around 3,000 pages of plenary minutes were collected at the meetings. In addition, two investigative committees were set up in the new election period that began in May: on the child abuse complex and on the flood disaster of 2021.
“This year, with its crises and events, shows that our democracy works,” emphasized Kuper. “But it cannot be taken for granted. It must defend itself against its enemies and find solutions for peaceful and secure coexistence.”
