Latest news with #JensSpahn
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Top German conservative says armed forces need to prepare for draft
A leading politician in Chancellor Friedrich Merz's conservative party wants the German armed forces to start getting ready for a return to compulsory military service. Jens Spahn, the leader of parliamentary group of Merz's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union, said the military, or Bundeswehr, must start making plans for a draft. "The Bundeswehr must definitely establish a structure that allows for a swift return to conscription. This cannot happen overnight, but we need to start preparing," Spahn told the Rheinische Post newspaper. He said Germany must regain its ability to defend itself, which would require up to 60,000 additional soldiers for the Bundeswehr. "If this can be achieved through voluntary service, good. However, my impression is that we will need conscription for this," said the CDU politician. Conscription was suspended in 2011 under then defence minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg (CSU) after 55 years. Bundestag's Defence Commissioner Henning Otte also insisted on mandatory military service if there are not enough volunteers. "If that is not sufficient, it must be expanded to include mandatory elements," the CDU politician told the Welt am Sonntag newspaper. "It is the government's responsibility to draft this law with its mandatory components in a way that is constitutionally sound and can be passed this year," he said. If Germany returns to a draft, one question likely to be discussed is whether it would also apply to women. The previous draft was for men only. Spahn sees legal barriers to expanding the draft. "If the old conscription is reinstated, it will only apply to men," Spahn said, adding that is what is provided for in the German Constitution. To change that the document "would need to be amended. I do not see this happening in the next four years," he told the Rheinische Post. A constitutional amendment requires a two-thirds majority in both the Bundestag and Bundesrat, the upper house of parliament composed of leaders of German states. Former defence minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer of the CDU wants a draft for women too. "If we look at the declining birth rates, the question will ultimately arise as to whether we can afford to exclude any group. This means women would also have to be included in conscription," she told the Berliner Zeitung newspaper. Kramp-Karrenbauer also advocated for preparing for a possible reintroduction now. The coalition agreement between the CDU/CSU and the Social Democrats does not mention the word "conscription." Instead, it states: "We are creating a new, attractive military service initially based on voluntariness." Defence Minister Boris Pistorius has made it recently repeatedly clear that service can be voluntary - only if it meets the recruitment demands. Bundestag President Julia Klöckner stressed the coalition's "initally" wording, saying, "this does not rule out the possibility of reintroducing conscription in the future, depending on demand and with the necessary infrastructure. But she told the RND media group that she's a fan of general compulsory service. Chancellor Merz has not ruled out additional steps but has often spoken of instituting a required so-called "social year" which could be spent in the military or working in areas valuable to the society at large.
Gulf Insider
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Gulf Insider
AfD Is Now Germany's Most Popular Party For The First Time Ever As 'Ban' Efforts Escalate
The Alternative for Germany (AfD) has hit a historic watermark, and is now the most popular party in Germany for the first time ever, reaching 26 percent. The poll, from Forsa, shows the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) in second place with 25 percent. If the vote were held today, the two parties set to enter government, the Social Democrats (SPD) and the CDU, would not have enough votes to enter government. The SPD is at 15 percent, giving the two parties a combined total of 40 percent. The poll showed that support for the Greens dropped a point to 11 percent and the Left Party also dropped a point to 9 percent. BREAKING: 🇩🇪The AfD party is now the most popular party in Germany for the first time ever, soaring to 26%.The main German parties are working to ban the AfD, and a vote on a ban is expected in the coming months in the new @RMXnews — Remix News & Views (@RMXnews) April 22, 2025 The news comes at a time when the left is racing to vote on a ban on the AfD in the German parliament, the Bundestag, a topic covered in detail by Remix News. However, despite inital reports that the CDU would back such a ban, the picture is becoming muddier. For one, there are more and more voices in the CDU and its sister party, the CSU, who are calling for 'more calm' towards the AfD, including from the influential vice-chairman of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group, Jens Spahn. Spahn even said that the AfD should be able to lead some of the committee in the Bundestag, which would give the party more say and power. Given that it received the second-most votes during the German election, it should, like all other parties, have access to these committees, but many want to shut it out completely, especially from intelligence committees. The issue could lead to a major split in the coalition between the CDU and SPD. SPD Bundestag member Ralf Stegner told Welt his party has 'absolutely no sense of humor' on any attempt to go easy on the AfD. 🇩🇪🚨 "Germany needs the AfD"Young women are increasingly promoting the AfD party on of them feel increasingly unsafe in Germany, and they believe AfD is the answer. — Remix News & Views (@RMXnews) February 16, 2025 He said any kind of rapprochement would represent a 'maximum stress test' for the new coalition govenrment. 'Anyone who wants to form a coalition with the SPD cannot join forces with right-wing radicals. And joining forces also means voting for enemies of democracy,' he said. The MP, known for his left-wing views, instead is calling for a ban on the AfD if the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) classifies the party as 'confirmed right-wing extremist.' 'If the Office for the Protection of the Constitution upgrades its classification, then we also have a duty to work towards initiating a ban on the party,' Stegner said. 🇩🇪‼️ Young German woman explains why voters are turning to the AfD"I'm afraid to travel by train, afraid to go into town, afraid to do anything in public. And they talk about people being afraid of the AfD. The AfD has done nothing to anyone, unlike other people." — Remix News & Views (@RMXnews) February 10, 2025 However, Welt reports that CDU is rejecting an 'automoatic' approach to banning the AfD. Click here to read more…
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Senior German conservative casts doubt on €15 minimum wage by 2026
A top German conservative has cast doubt on whether a €15 ($16.50) hourly minimum wage can be achieved by 2026, just one day after the target was outlined in a coalition agreement. Jens Spahn, the deputy parliamentary leader for the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), told broadcaster RTL/ntv on Thursday that it was "unlikely" Germany "will see enough growth and wage progression" for the target to be met by next year. The CDU presented its coalition deal with the Bavaria-only Christian Social Union (CSU) and the Social Democratic Party (SPD) on Wednesday, with the 144-page document stating that a €15 minimum wage - up from the current €12.82 - was "achievable" in 2026. Germany's Minimum Wage Commission is responsible for setting the figure, but the coalition agreement seeks to tweak the rules for the commission's calculations, aiming to tie the minimum wage to 60% of median pay. Spahn reiterated that the coalition will not set a statutory €15 minimum, but that the figure "would develop along with general wages in Germany." The former health minister is expected to hold a senior position in the new government but refused to be drawn into speculation on his future role.
Telegraph
13-03-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Germany could take in 500,000 migrants per year, say liberals
Migrants who have lived in Germany for more than 25 years should be offered automatic citizenship and a 'ministry of social participation' should be created to help foreigners integrate into German society, the paper added. The working group has asked that the policies be included in the next round of coalition talks between the leaders of the SPD and the CDU. It was unclear whether the paper envisaged taking in an additional 500,000 skilled workers, or whether that figure would be part of an overall migration target for the next government. Germany received 1.9 million migrants in 2023 according to Statista, a German database. It comes after the CDU and SPD reached a provisional agreement on migration in which the new government would have powers to turn away asylum seekers in large numbers from Germany's land borders. However, the two parties remain at odds over whether Germany needs permission from a neighbouring country before rejecting a migrant or asylum seeker at their shared border. Jens Spahn, a senior CDU politician, claimed this week that the agreement allowed asylum seekers to be turned back 'without the consent of the other countries'. But SPD officials said they could only support border rejections as part of an agreement with Germany's neighbouring countries, such as Austria and Poland. Debt brake reform On Thursday, the Bundestag, the German parliament, held its first debate on a major new reform by Mr Merz, the incoming Chancellor, that will scrap spending limits on major defence projects. Mr Merz wishes to reform the so-called 'debt brake' in the German constitution so that defence projects which cost more than one per cent of GDP are exempt from spending limits. He also plans to set up a special fund to improve German infrastructure, as he says rearming the Bundeswehr, the Germany army, requires a stronger overall economy. Mr Merz announced the reforms in response to fears that Europe can no longer count on Donald Trump, the US president, for security guarantees. 'We have to do something to improve our defensive capabilities, and quickly … the word deterrence must rapidly be given a credible military foundation,' Mr Merz told MPs on Thursday. To amend the constitution Mr Merz would need a two-thirds majority in the Bundestag, which would only be possible with support from the Greens, who have threatened to sink the Bill unless it is expanded to address climate change. The Greens said a counter-offer by Mr Merz, which would include intelligence, civil defence and climate protection projects in the special fund, did not go far enough. The reform is expected to be put to a vote on March 18 and talks on securing support from the Greens continue.
Yahoo
09-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
CDU deputy says Germany committed to turning back asylum seekers
The deputy leader of Germany's conservative CDU/CSU parliamentary group said on Sunday that Germany will turn back asylum seekers at its land borders - even if that goes against the will of neighbouring countries. The statement made by Jens Spahn of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) appears to contradict information released on Saturday that said the parties expecting to form Germany's new government would only turn back asylum seekers in coordination with its neighbours. The CDU and its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU) concluded exploratory talks on Saturday with the Social Democrats (SPD) and that agreement on migration was announced then. But Spahn, speaking on the podcast of the news portal said Germany's European partners will be informed and, in the best case scenario, the procedure will also be coordinated with them. But "we are not making ourselves dependent on the agreement of the other countries." Spahn noted that the agreement on migration "doesn't say agree but in coordination" with European partners. "We see all the legal bases there to enforce it either way," he said. Austria on Sunday made it clear that it rejects Germany's plans to turn back asylum seekers at the border - despite agreeing in principle to a more restrictive immigration policy. Austria will not accept such people, the Interior Ministry in Vienna told dpa. The fact that for the first time since 2015 Germany should be allowed to reject asylum applications is at the the heart of migration reform. Spahn said Germany's Social Democrats (SPD) have been very cooperative on this issue. "We have a common interest in limiting migration."
