Germany's Left Party expelled from Bundestag

Germany's Left Party was expelled from the Bundestag yesterday after its members held up signs bearing the names of Afghan civilians killed in a German-ordered airstrike last September. The protest came in the middle of a parliamentary debate on extending Germany's nine-year military mission to Afghanistan by a further year. Some 429 MPs voted for and 111 against the new mandate–16 fewer votes in favor than last time–allowing troop numbers to be increased by 850 to 5,350. The opposition Green Party abstained and, after being re-admitted, the Left Party MPs contributed to the 111 votes against the mandate.