BERLIN, Nov. 14 (UPI) -- Germany's main opposition party, CDU, voted to expel one of its MPs for his remarks against Jews, the BBC reported Friday.
Martin Hohmann was expelled because he had said on German Unity Day six weeks ago that the Jewish people were responsible for many crimes during the Russian Revolution.
Despite the expulsion vote of 195 to 28, with 16 abstentions, Hohmann will retain his seat in parliament. A separate procedure to strip him of his party membership could take years if he challenges it in court.
In his remarks, Hohmann had compared what he called the Jewish people's culpability for crimes of the Russian Revolution to Germany's responsibility for the Holocaust.
The CDU earlier resisted calls to expel Hohmann, but decided to take action after his speech caused much controversy in the country.
The issue has overshadowed the party's proposals for economic and social reforms and comes at a time when the CDU is ahead of the ruling Social Democrats in opinion polls.
