Latest news with #MarkusSoeder
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
New German coalition to name sports minister in change of strategy
New German coalition to name sports minister in change of strategy (L-R)Markus Soeder, Minister President of Bavaria and CSU Chairman, Friedrich Merz, CDU candidate for Chancellor and CDU Federal Chairman, Lars Klingbeil, SPD Parliamentary Group and Federal Chairman, and Saskia Esken, SPD Federal Chairwoman, hold a press conference of the Union and SPD party chairmen to present the coalition agreement in the Paul Löbe House. Sebastian Christoph Gollnow/dpa Germany's future coalition government plans to create a new position of state minister for sport within the Federal Chancellery. Sport was previously included in the interior minister's brief. But with a possible Olympic bid in the offing, the Christian Democratic Union and Christian Social Union (CDU/CSU) - along junior partners the Social Democrats (SPD) - have agreed to boost the role. Advertisement The parties put forth a general coalition agreement on Wednesday following talks after February's election, which was topped by the CDU/CSU. The CDU's Friedrich Merz is set to replace the SPD's Olaf Scholz as chancellor. Sport formed a notable part of Wednesday's document, with the parties keen to initiate a paradigm shift in elite sports funding in light of the declining number of German medals at major sports championships in recent years. The goal is to make Germany internationally competitive again as a top sporting nation, with funding intended to become more efficient, flexible and less bureaucratic. Prize money for medals won is to be exempt from taxation and there are plans for improved social security for athletes and support for dual careers. Advertisement The new coalition said it explicitly supports a German bid to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Germany's bidder for a future Olympics is to be named by September 2026, the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) said earlier on Wednesday. Berlin together with the eastern city of Leipzig, the Rhine-Ruhr region, Hamburg and Munich have all declared interest. The DOSB must also decide whether it wants to bid for 2036, 2040 or 2044. Such a bid is to be embedded in a "National Strategy for Major Sporting Events," the coalition parties said. Financial support is also planned for bids to host the Athletics World Championships, Nordic Ski World Championships and the Women's European Football Championship. Advertisement The coalition agreement also includes a plan to retain well-trained coaches in Germany, with better pay and improved labour conditions. Another aim of the future government is to increase the visibility of women's sports. "To provide female athletes in competitive sports with equal opportunities, we are recognizing the realities of life – for instance, by embedding maternity protection (in the law) and promoting gender-specific training and research," the coalition agreement states. At least €1 billion ($1.1 billion) is to be made available for the modernization and renovation of sports facilities. Support will also continue for victims of state-sponsored doping in the former East Germany. The future government also plans to recognize the non-profit status of e-sports.
Bloomberg
28-03-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
German Coalition Parties Downplay Differences Ahead of Key Talks
Germany's prospective ruling coalition parties sounded optimistic as they prepare to enter the final stretch of talks to resolve differences between Chancellor-in-waiting Friedrich Merz's conservatives and the Social Democrats. Markus Soeder, head of Bavaria's conservative CSU party, said Friday he's 'very sure' the two sides will reach an agreement, 'not because we have to but because we want to.' The focus of the coalition deal must be on the economy, including reducing the tax burden for companies and slashing bureaucracy, he told public broadcaster ARD.
Jordan Times
08-03-2025
- Business
- Jordan Times
German conservatives, centre-left agree in principle to form gov't
(L-R) The leader of the conservative Christian Social Union (CSU) Markus Soeder, the leader of Germany's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party Friedrich Merz and the co-leaders of Germany's social democratic SPD party Lars Klingbeil and Saskia Esken give a statement in Berlin on March 8, 2025 AFP photo) BERLIN — Germany's conservative election winner Friedrich Merz came a step closer on Saturday towards forming a government which he has pledged will revive Europe's top economy and its armed forces with massive new spending. The bold moves are part of his plan to rebuild Berlin's standing in Europe, which Merz has said must respond to the sweeping changes driven by US President Donald Trump that have rocked the transatlantic alliance. Merz's CDU/CSU bloc and the Social Democrats (SPD) of defeated Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Saturday announced they had wrapped up exploratory talks and would now move onto the next, decisive stage of full-fledged coalition negotiations. "We concluded the consultations between CDU/CSU and SPD and we have drawn up a joint exploratory paper," Merz said. He praised the "extremely good and very collegial atmosphere" of the talks that had passed a major hurdle less than two weeks after the February 23 elections. Merz said both sides shared "the conviction that we have a great task ahead of us". He said all were "aware of the great challenge we are facing -- above all the international situation, but also... facing the whole of Europe". Merz said both sides had agreed on tough new steps to limit irregular immigration, including refusing all undocumented migrants at the borders, even those seeking asylum. The move was a key demand of Merz, who has stressed the need to win voters back from the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), which scored a record of over 20 percent in the election. Lars Klingbeil of the SPD called Saturday's deal "an important first step" and said both sides agreed on the need to "get our country back on track". He said his party had won assurances on key demands, such as a 15-euro-($16-) per-hour minimum wage from 2026 and stable pensions. 'XXL' cash splurge The plan is for Germany to have a new government by mid-April that would end half a year of political paralysis after Scholz's three-way coalition imploded in November. The likely future governing allies have already surprised European partners with their plan to spend hundreds of billions of euros to revive the ailing economy and rebuild the military. The ambitious plans would cast aside Germany's historic reluctance to take on large-scale debt and see it invest in defence on a scale not seen since World War II. The spending boost -- which Merz's Bavarian ally Markus Soeder has termed an "XXL"-sized splurge -- comes in response to Trump and his administration casting doubt in Europe on the future strength and reliability of the NATO alliance. Alarm at Trump's actions have added urgency to the talks, spurred by his public berating of his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky in a White House meeting. 'Find a way' The two parties are now moving to talks on a detailed formal coalition agreement, including haggling over cabinet posts. Their spending plans would circumvent Germany's constitutionally enshrined debt-brake and exempt defence spending when it exceeds one percent of GDP. The parties also agreed on a 500-billion-euro fund to invest in creaking infrastructure over 10 years. The SPD has long pushed for action on Germany's economy, which has been mired in two straight years of recession. Merz voiced hopes Saturday that the stimulus would help the economy grow by "one, preferably two, percent". However, both proposals will need a two-thirds majority in the outgoing parliament, with the two big blocs needing the Greens' cooperation. Merz said new investment could flow into climate projects and voiced confidence that "we will find a way together to achieve a constitutional amendment". But Greens co-chairman Felix Banaszak warned they were "further away from an agreement today than we have been in recent days", criticising the fact that "climate protection financing plays no part" in the joint document. The CDU/CSU and SPD are in a hurry to push the changes through before a deadline looms. On March 25 the newly-elected parliament will convene. From then on, the AfD and the far-left Linke will be able to block any such proposals.
Reuters
08-03-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
Elements of German parties' coalition paper
Item 1 of 3 Germany's chancellor-in-waiting and leader of the Christian Democratic Union party (CDU) Friedrich Merz speaks with Bavarian state premier and leader of the Christian Social Union (CSU) Markus Soeder as they give a statement with co-leaders of the Social Democratic party (SPD) Saskia Esken and Lars Klingbeil, after exploratory talks in Berlin, Germany March 8, 2025. REUTERS/Annegret Hilse [1/3] Germany's chancellor-in-waiting and leader of the Christian Democratic Union party (CDU) Friedrich Merz speaks with Bavarian state premier and leader of the Christian Social Union (CSU) Markus Soeder as they give a statement with co-leaders of the Social Democratic party (SPD) Saskia Esken and... Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab Read more FRANKFURT, March 8 (Reuters) - German election winner Friedrich Merz's conservatives and the Social Democrats (SPD) completed preliminary talks on Saturday on forming a coalition government that will take further shape in coming weeks. Following are elements of an 11-page position paper on various policy areas that the parties have agreed. MIGRATION Border controls are to be expanded so that numbers of illegal entries can be significantly reduced, including those of asylum seekers. Measures to ensure that those required to leave the country do go will be toughened. There will be more support to integrate new citizens through language programmes, especially for children. The SPD said it wants to see more immigration success stories. WELFARE Recipients of social security payments will face a tougher regime and, if able to work, might be struck off the list if they refuse job offers. The SPD wants to boost house-building and prolong a cap on certain rent levels for two years. ENERGY The paper envisages power price cuts by 5 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh). In order to reach that goal, a reduction of the electricity tax towards the minimum European Union level and a halving of power transmission grid fees is suggested. Germany is to revive a stalled programme to bring about new 20 gigawatts (GW) of new gas-fired power plants. It is also set to work towards nuclear fusion technology and enable carbon sequestration and storage (CCS), the parties said. ECONOMY/INDUSTRIES Economic growth of 1-2% will be targeted after two years of recession. Industries deemed as strategic, such as semiconductors, battery production, pharmaceuticals and hydrogen are to be strengthened. A reform of the corporate tax system will be initiated. VAT on gastronomy will be lowered to 7% permanently. As a support for struggling manufacturers of electric cars, the parties wants to subsidise purchasers. There was a pledge to prevent penalties if carmakers exceed CO2 emissions standards. Overall, the paper promises less bureaucracy and more digitisation. LABOUR There will be tax incentives for pension-age workers, who stay on in the workplace, and more support for motorists' trips to work. A minimum wage of 15 euros per hour from 2026, stable pensions, and tax advantages for overtime are among other targets. TWO KEY FINANCIAL MEASURES Attention will now turn to the outgoing parliament, where lawmakers will debate from March 13 a 500-billion-euro ($541.60 billion) infrastructure fund and changes to state borrowing rules known as the "debt brake", especially with view to boosting defence. The measures, which were presented earlier this week, are key to the effectiveness of the new coalition, and as they require a change of the constitution they are not yet a certainty. There is opposition from right and left-wing parties.
Local Germany
14-02-2025
- Business
- Local Germany
German elections: How parties plan to tackle high rents and create affordable homes
In strained housing markets, such as in Berlin, Munich and Frankfurt, trying to secure an affordable place to settle down is becoming more and more difficult. A recent study by the German Economic Institute (IW) found that rents in Germany increased on average by 4.7 percent year-on-year, with Berlin seeing an 8.5 percent hike at the end of 2024 compared to the previous year. It's no wonder then that housing has become one of the top concerns among voters in Germany. And one thing all politicians agree on is that action has to be taken to ease the housing market. Most election manifestos state that this includes making faster progress with the construction of new homes. However, opinions differ on how to deal with the ever-increasing rents on the market. With the nation set to vote on February 23rd, we round up the party pledges on housing. CDU/CSU The centre-right Christian Democrats (CDU) and its Bavarian sister party, the CSU, are the frontrunner in polls, with around 29-30 percent. As things stand in current poll developments, the CDU/CSU - often referred to as the Union - would possibly lead a future coalition government with the Social Democrats (SPD) or Greens. The CDU/CSU are pushing for removing bureaucratic hurdles in housing construction and promoting home ownership with a pledge to make "building and housing affordable again". Meanwhile, their manifesto states only building more homes "will ensure more favourable rents". Bavaria's State Premier and leader of the conservative Christian Social Union (CSU) Markus Soeder (R) stands hand in hand with top candidate for chancellor and leader of Germany's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) Friedrich Merz in Berlin. Photo: John Macdougall / AFP The bloc also wants to make sure that landlords who charge significantly less than the local comparative rent pay less tax. This is intended to create an incentive to offer affordable housing. The CDU/CSU is not calling for a rent cap or Mietendeckel, but the Union seem to be open to some kind of rent control. Their manifesto states: "We stand for effective and appropriate tenant protection - this also includes rules on rent levels." The Union is also in favour of helping those with lower incomes. "Social housing must be solidly subsidised and housing benefit regularly adjusted," the parties add. SPD The centre-left Social Democrats, who are currently expected to be a junior coalition partner in a future CDU-led government, have a large focus on affordable housing in their manifesto. The party says it wants to "put the brakes on rent increases", and calls for a permanent extension of the Mietpreisbremse (rent brake), a legal instrument that can stop landlords from increasing rents too much. The party also wants tighter limits on rent increases within the law. "The rent brake is to apply indefinitely and also to properties that were occupied by 2019 in order to ensure stable and affordable rents in tight housing markets in the long term," their manifesto states. At present, the rent cap only applies to flats built before October 2014. The SPD, which is third in the polls with Chancellor Olaf Scholz leading the election campaign, also wants to close loopholes in rent control laws and make sure that index-linked tenancy agreements are capped, too. The Social Democrats are also pushing to relieve tenants by reducing "the burden of property tax". Plus, they want affordable accommodation for those in education. "We want to ensure that students and trainees pay no more than €400 for a room in a shared flat if possible," says the party. Like the CDU/CSU, the SPD wants to reduce bureaucracy to speed up housing construction, with funding allocated to construct social housing. The party also wants to use a new public-private "Germany Fund" - to provide housing associations and co-operatives with capital for housing construction. Greens The Greens are in favour of a combination of tenant protection and sustainable housing construction. The centre-left party shares some aims with the SPD. For example, they want to "regulate the rental market so that rents do not continue to go through the roof". They say they will do that by extending the rent brake, closing loopholes and improving it. The Greens, with chancellor candidate Robert Habeck, also have a focus on providing more homes - although they emphasise that they should be good for the planet. "We want to build quickly, affordably and in a climate-friendly way with a realistic construction programme, especially in existing buildings," states the party in a summary of its manifesto. They suggested that "adding storeys to existing buildings, converting unused office space into living space, converting attics and reactivating vacant buildings" could help provide "several million flats". The Greens say they also want to "help people to acquire or renovate residential property so that it remains affordable". AfD The anti-immigration Alternative for Germany (AfD) party is second in the polls after the CDU but is unlikely to get into government because of the 'firewall' mainstream parties have against working with the far right in Germany. But since they are gathering support, here's a glance at their housing proposals. Mostly, the far-right party wants to turn more tenants into homeowners. It also wants to give local residents privileges over outside buyers or renters. "Locals should be favoured when it comes to the allocation of land and housing," the party states in its manifesto, adding that low-income tenants should be supported with housing benefit. In addition to lower construction costs, the AfD wants to see ancillary housing costs lowered "in order to make housing affordable again for citizens". The party calls for the real estate transfer tax for owner-occupiers, the property tax and the licence fee or Rundfunkbeitrag to be abolished. Meanwhile, the AfD calls for the real estate transfer tax for foreign buyers whose main residence is outside the EU to be increased to 20 percent. Election campaign posters in Germany. Photo: John Macdougall / AFP The party also wants to see what it describes as "ideology-driven" measures such as the EEG levy, CO2 tax and the Building Energy Act (GEG) abolished. In its election manifesto, the AfD rejects rent regulation of any kind. "The AfD stands for balanced tenancy law and rejects government overregulation and investment barriers such as the rent brake or the rent cap," the party's manifesto states. What about the other parties? The Free Democrats (FDP) are in favour of speeding up planning and authorisation procedures for more housing construction. It is also focusing on promoting innovation in the construction industry and private investment. The pro-business FDP says it wants to ditch the rent brake law. Their manifesto states: "The rental price brake is demonstrably a brake on investment. That is why we are phasing it out. In order to incentivise the urgently needed new construction, we are breaking the state regulation spiral in the rental market." For the Left party (Die Linke), rent regulation is more important than the construction of new flats, although they do promote building some affordable housing. The party is calling for the expropriation of large housing companies and a nationwide rent cap. "As an immediate measure, rent increases must be ruled out nationwide for the next six years," says the party. "Only non-profit landlords who have previously set very low rents will be allowed to increase them slightly to cover costs." The hard-left/conservative Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) is calling for large parts of the housing market to become non-profit. The party wants municipal housing construction companies to receive favourable loans for housing construction. Wherever affordable housing is in short supply, rents should be frozen until the end of the decade, demands the BSW. "We are calling for a nationwide rent cap instead of an ineffective rent brake," the BSW states in its manifesto.
