Political fabric starts to fray

In late March, on her first day as an elected representative in the German Parliament, left-wing politician Cansin Köktürk wore a garment that shocked some of those present.

- Cathrin Schaer

Köktürk had wrapped artfully around her neck a black and white keffiyeh - the scarf commonly worn right throughout the Middle East that's become synonymous with Palestinian culture. The 31-year-old parliamentarian then posed for a picture inside the Bundestag building and boldly posted it on social media.

There was uproar from the right wing. That scarf is a "trademark of anti-semites, Israel-haters, and Hamas terror supporters", the habitually spiteful tabloid, Bild, ranted. Conservative politicians called for the offending cloth to be banned in the German Parliament. Such a violent bit of fabric "has no place in the Bundestag", highly strung MPs cried.

The whole over-egged "scandal" brought back another debate, too, one New Zealanders have also grappled with after MPs performed a haka in protest last November: Who decides exactly what is acceptable behaviour in Parliament? And if it is deemed unacceptable, should it be forbidden?