The overview in short reports on developments, results and assessments relating to German politics:
The Greens are demanding that the Union agree to extend the rent cap
The Greens have called on the Union to support a rent cap by the end of 2029. The Federal Cabinet wants to decide to extend this instrument beyond 2025 at its meeting this morning, but as a minority government it needs the approval of the opposition in the Bundestag. “We expect the Union not to abandon tenants in Germany,” said Green Party member of the Bundestag Christina-Johanne Schröder. The extension of the rent cap will protect millions of people in Germany from a further explosion in rent prices. At the same time, according to Schröder, rent control alone is not enough to ensure long-term security and affordable housing. That is why the Greens presented proposals for real social tenancy law in the Bundestag. “The Fair Rent Act addresses exactly where the housing market and the current law are failing,” she said.
Frei calls for an end to family reunification from Syria
The parliamentary managing director of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group, Thorsten Frei (CDU), welcomed the suspension of asylum procedures for Syrians in Germany and demanded that the subsidiary protection status of Syrians must be reviewed and family reunification from Syria should be stopped, as in Austria. “Especially with regard to Syria, you have to say quite honestly that this of course makes no sense in the current situation. And Austria in particular has now stopped family reunification for Syrians entitled to subsidiary protection, so it reacted very quickly,” said Frei in the program “Early Start ” from RTL and ntv. “I think this is right with regard to Syria, but I also think it is generally right that in times of enormous migration, of uncontrolled migration to Germany, at least family reunification for those entitled to subsidiary protection should be stopped,” he said.
Göring-Eckardt calls for decisions to be made after a vote of confidence
After the vote of confidence from Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD), Parliament Vice President Katrin Göring-Eckardt (Greens) expects quick decisions from the Bundestag on the protection of the Constitutional Court and a possible AfD ban procedure before the election. “The Union has made the question of trust a condition for joint initiatives,” the Green politician told the Augsburger Allgemeine. “Discussions are possible starting next week,” she emphasized. “If everything goes well, we could complete the package to protect the Constitutional Court in the Bundestag in January,” said Göring-Eckardt. The Green Bundestag Vice President also spoke out in favor of initiating a ban on the AfD at the beginning of the year, despite the election date being so close: “The Bundestag should debate the proposal for a ban on the AfD as quickly as possible. And in my view, also decide on it .”
Union makes withdrawal of electoral law reform a condition of the coalition
If it wins the election, the Union wants to reverse the electoral law reform introduced by the traffic light coalition. “We will not sign a coalition agreement that does not say that the electoral law reform will be abolished,” said Union faction deputy Johann Wadephul (CDU) to the Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung. This is “a sine qua non”, i.e. a non-negotiable condition. And that will also be in the Union’s election program. Due to the new voting law decided by the traffic light, for the first time every constituency winner will no longer automatically be elected to the Bundestag. “If a person who was democratically elected in the constituency does not end up in the Bundestag, many voters and campaigners will feel left out,” said Wadephul. Instead, he proposed fewer and larger constituencies in order to reduce the number of MPs.
FDP election campaign on economic transition, debate culture and migration
FDP General Secretary Marco Buschmann has announced that he will put three issues at the center of his election campaign strategy. “Firstly: We have to renew Germany economically. The FDP is a party of economic reason,” he told the Funke media group. The second point the former justice minister mentioned was a new culture of debate. “It must give those who think differently more space to present their arguments without being immediately pushed into a corner.” Thirdly, he called for better management and control of migration. “This also includes a prospect for the Syrian refugees to return to their homeland after the fall of the Assad regime.”
Union calls for return plan for Syrian refugees
The CDU/CSU parliamentary group has demanded a rapid return plan for Syrian refugees from the federal government and has itself drawn up a four-point catalog for deportations. The deputy parliamentary group leader Andrea Lindholz (CSU) told the Bild newspaper that there must be travel allowances and entry fees for those refugees who want to voluntarily return to Syria. “Offenders and dangerous people must be deported immediately,” said Lindholz. Priority should also be given to deportation of anyone who “has not integrated, for example not yet working after years.” The CSU politicians emphasized that “all other people must be examined on a case-by-case basis to see what is in favor of staying in Germany and what is in favor of being returned to Syria.” CSU regional group leader Alexander Dobrindt told the newspaper: “In order to support the return to their homeland of Syria, the federal government must now develop a return roadmap. The loss of reasons to flee means that in many cases the loss of residence permits is also to be expected.”
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(END) Dow Jones Newswires
December 11, 2024 05:05 ET (10:05 GMT)