Germany’s new parliament gains 83 lawmakers with migration background

BERLIN

Germany’s new Bundestag will be the most diverse parliament in recent history, with more representatives from different cultural and ethnic groups, according to a study by the Migration Media Service.

At least 83 lawmakers with migration backgrounds were elected on Sunday to the 735-seat parliament, marking a significant increase compared to the elections in 2017. At that time, 58 with migrant roots won seats in the Bundestag.

The center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD), which won the election against the Christian Democrats, has the highest number of MPs with migration backgrounds, followed by the environmentalist Greens and the Left Party.

Germany’s three million-strong Turkish community will be represented by 18 lawmakers, and nine are from the SPD, including former Integration Minister Aydan Ozoguz.

The SPD’s potential coalition partner, the Greens, have five ethnic Turkish lawmakers. Among them is Cem Ozdemir who hopes inclusion in the new Cabinet.

The new parliament has six MPs with Italian roots and five with Polish migrant roots. According to the Migration Media Service, six lawmakers are from the country’s Iranian community.

Awet Tesfaiesus, an Eritrean lawyer, has been elected to parliament for the first time. The 47-year-old politician from the Greens became the first African Black woman to join the Bundestag.

Migrants’ representation in parliament has gradually increased since 2009, but those with international roots are still underrepresented in the Bundestag.

Currently, 26% of Germany’s population has a migration background, but only 11.3% of lawmakers are from migrant communities.

In 2009, only 21 MPs had a migration background, and the number increased to 37 after elections in 2013.