A German opponent of Islam may face a reduction in his salary following a proposal from Bundestag President Julia Klöckner (CDU). 

Michael Stürzenberger—who survived a jihadist knife attack in May 2024—currently works for Erhard Brucker, an Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) Bundestag member. The Bundestag administration has classified Stürzenberger, along with six other employees, as “unreliable,” prompting Klöckner to call for their pay to be cut.

Stürzenberger and other AfD staff had their parliamentary passes revoked after the administration expressed concerns that access to the Bundestag could be abused for “unconstitutional purposes.” Stürzenberger, known for his criticism of Islam prior to joining the AfD, has been previously listed in the Bavarian Report for the Protection of the Constitution under a special category concerning “Islamophobia relevant to constitutional protection.”

The May 2024 Mannheim attack left police officer Rouven Laur dead and five others wounded. The assailant, 26-year-old Afghan national Sulaiman Ataee, was sentenced to life in prison for murder and attempted murder. Ataee had been radicalised over several years, strongly identifying with the Islamic State group, and specifically targeting Stürzenberger and attendees of his rally.

Bernd Baumann, parliamentary managing director of the AfD, criticized Klöckner’s proposal, calling it an “unprecedented attack on the free mandate” and accusing the Bundestag President of attempting to financially pressure opposition staffers. 

Klöckner has also requested additional powers for the Bundestag administration and the police, including greater access to intelligence data, arguing that security measures are necessary given the volume of visitors and staff in the Bundestag.