On February 26, parliamentarians from the left-wing party Die Linke were expelled from the Bundestag (the national parliament) for holding a protest against the war in Afghanistan.
The entire Die Linke parliamentary delegation of 76 MPs was removed from the legislative chamber for holding a silent protest against plans to extend Germany's nine-year involvement in the occupation of Afghanistan by a further year.
Protesting Die Linke MPs held up placards bearing the names of Afghan civilians killed in the German-ordered airstrike in Kunduz in September, where at least 140 people were killed.
Die Linke MPs were later readmitted to the Bundestag. But the vote — which included an increase in German soldier numbers from 4500 to 5350 — passed with 429 in favor, 46 abstentions, and 111 against.
The Green Party split three ways, with most of its representatives abstaining. Some members of the ruling right-wing Christian Democrat-Free Democrat coalition and the centre-left Social Democrats refused to vote in favour, although the vast majority did.
Die Linke's protest highlights the controversial nature of German military involvement in Afghanistan. Polls show that German participation in the war in Afghanistan is consistently opposed by more than 80% of Germans, but Die Linke is the only party to oppose it outright.
Die Linke's parliamentary vice-chairperson Jan van Aken said: "War is not an abstract concept, rather it means deaths every day.
"Behind every death is a destiny, a face, a name.
"All MPs who have agreed to the war must recognise that today you have voted on people's life and death.
"More troops means more problems."
The German vote came only a week after the Dutch government collapsed when a similar motion to extend its own involvement in the Afghan war failed to pass and the ruling coalition fell apart.