CDU is in favor of a mandatory company year

Hanover The CDU spoke out in favor of the nationwide introduction of a mandatory company year and rejected a voluntary variant. After a controversial discussion, the party congress in Hanover on Saturday voted in favor of a corresponding application.

A social year is a service that “enables all young people to get involved temporarily and specifically for our country and our society,” says the application, which includes the deputy federal chairmen Carsten Linnemann and Silvia Breher as well as the boy -Union boss Tilman Kuban initiated. However, this initially left open whether it should be a compulsory or voluntary service.

The justification states: “Many people only move in digital and social echo chambers. Such a development is poison for our free-democratic society.” In addition, a year of society promotes personal development and makes the state more resilient.

Where the young people can complete the service should be designed as flexibly as possible, “be it in social institutions, in hospitals, in the Bundeswehr, in civil defense with the THW or the fire brigade, through recognized aid organizations abroad or in sports and culture or with nature and environmental protection associations”. The service should be remunerated with an “attractive service fee”.

The application stipulates that the year of service should be completed “usually immediately after leaving school”, a corresponding legal obligation should come into force upon reaching the age of 18, although it should also be possible to complete it earlier.

The advocates of the voluntary variant argued that compulsory service does not correspond to the CDU’s liberal image of man and is harmful to the labor market. In addition, there are not enough staff for this. The supporters of a duty explained that this strengthens social cohesion and is also reasonable because peace and freedom are increasingly endangered from within and from without.

Union offers federal government cooperation

CDU leader Friedrich Merz and CSU leader Markus Söder have also signaled their willingness to cooperate with the federal government in view of the energy crisis. “Yes, we are arguing about the details. We have different opinions on many points. But it is also necessary to work together in such a difficult time, ”said Merz at the CDU party conference on Saturday in Hanover. This applies to the federal states governed by the CDU and CSU, but also to the Union faction in the Bundestag.

“CDU and CSU offer the federal government to act together wherever possible and where we can find common solutions. If the federal government does not accept it now, then it is solely their responsibility. We will also make that clear in the next few days and weeks,” said Merz.

CSU boss Söder said in the direction of the federal government: “Dear traffic light, get help from people who understand something about crises.” He had previously accused the government of being haphazard in the energy crisis.

His impression was “that this new government is increasingly overwhelmed,” said Bavaria’s Prime Minister. The government’s basic task must be to ensure “warm apartments, affordable food, (…) affordable energy and secure jobs”.

Referring to an exchange of blows between Scholz and Merz a few days ago in the Bundestag, Söder said: “I don’t want to see a screaming Chancellor in Germany.” Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck (Greens) was “nothing more than a whining poster boy,” etched the CSU boss.

With regard to the gas supply, Söder criticized the fact that the federal government had so far procured too few replacements for the lack of Russian gas deliveries. “When the responsible minister in Germany says in the biggest gas crisis in our country, I’ve lost track and I really have no idea,” that is an indictment of the country. Söder also called again for the controversial gas levy to be abolished to support gas importers.

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