BERLIN, Nov. 14 (Xinhuanet) -- Germany's opposition Christian Democratic Union(CDU)/Christian Social Union on Friday morning voted to expel legislator Martin Hohmann from the parliamentary group for his anti-Semitic remarks.

    This is the first time in the history of the union alliance that a legislator has been expelled from its parliamentary group.

    The expulsion was supported by 195 legislators, or more than two thirds of the union parliamentary members as required. A totalof 28 legislators voted against the expulsion, while 16 abstained.

    Hohmann has come under heavy criticism in Germany for his remarks on Oct. 3 in which he called the Jews " a race of perpetrators."

    CDU Chairwoman Angela Merkel called the vote a "clear-cut" victory for her decision to expel Hohmann from the party's parliamentary group. Meanwhile, the CDU state branch of Hessen, where Hohmann comes from, is also going to expel him from the party.

    However, despite being expelled from the union parliamentary group, Hohmann will remain as an independent federal legislator until his current term expires. Enditem