In 2008, the company was denied an appearance at the brandenburg gate. Union faction leader volker kauder (CDU) declared in berlin on thursday: "if the american president wants to speak in the bundestag, he is welcome to do so."
SPD faction leader thomas oppermann said: "i am in favor of barack obama speaking in the bundestag."Obama is one of the most important personalities and brilliant speakers of the present day. Bundestag president norbert lammert should invite him to the bundestag. Lammert told the "bild" newspaper that he was open to a request.
Who is allowed to speak before the bundestag is decided by the parliament’s council of elders, on which all the parliamentary groups are represented. If obama wants to speak to the delegates, he will be allowed to do so, according to parliamentary sources.
Almost exactly 50 years to the day after the legendary appearance of john F. Kennedy’s obama comes to berlin for the first time as u.S. President. The program of the working visit includes a visit to the. And 19. June meeting with chancellor angela merkel (CDU) and federal president joachim gauck, among others. Discussions focused on the expansion of transatlantic relations. Obama will be accompanied by his wife michelle.
In 2008, merkel refused to allow obama, then a presidential candidate, to appear at the brandenburg gate. He then gave his speech at the victory parade, where he was enthusiastically celebrated by more than 200,000 people. After that, he has come to germany twice as president so far, but not to berlin.
Merkel’s 2008 decision not to allow obama to speak at the brandenburg gate is said to have disrupted the relationship initially. During a visit to washington in 2011, merkel then said that obama was cordially invited to berlin and that the brandenburg gate would also remain standing for some time to come.
In february 1969, u.S. President richard nixon was the first foreign head of state to stand at the lectern in the bundestag and assure the germans: "we belong together!". Not all members of parliament liked the fact that ronald reagan supported the controversial retrofit in june 1982 without any ifs and buts. George W. Bush emphasized in 2002 in the bundestag the common roots of america and europe.
So far, more than 30 international grobes have spoken before the bundestag, including pope benedict XVI., israel’s president shimon peres, russia’s president vladimir putin 2001 and three french presidents: jacques chirac, francois mitterrand and francois hollande.