Bridging aid for students
In order to ensure a sufficient income for students, the Federal Government will provide a bridging aid that is intended to help students living alone, who otherwise make about a third of their monthly income through jobs. Of the average monthly income of EUR 1060,…
Union confederation calls for basic child protection
The German Federation of Trade Unions has called for a unified basic child protection. So far, there are separate financial posts: child benefit, tax allowances, surcharges and Hartz IV benefits. These should be replaced and converted into one payment, which consists of a basic amount…
Bund takes share in CureVac
The federal government takes a share in CureVac in order to promote the development of a vaccine against the Coronavirus. As Federal Minister of Economics Peter Altmaier announced, the KfW development bank is taking over around 23 percent of the shares in the biotech company…
Tobacco advertising to be banned after a vote of the Bundestag
The Bundestag has passed a ban on tobacco advertising, which prohibits advertising of tobacco products in cinemas and the distribution of free samples outside the specialist trade from 2021. From 2022, a ban on advertising for cigarettes should apply to billboards, for tobacco heaters beginning…
Union parties want reform of electoral law for next Bundestag
The CDU-CSU in the German Bundestag has agreed on the modalities of a reform of the electoral law. The number of constituencies should thus be reduced from 299 to 280. In order to achieve this, it is necessary that seven overhang mandates be neglected. What…
Good job prospects for skilled workers after training
German companies will offer at least 7 percent fewer apprenticeships than in 2019. The construction industry, on the other hand, will offer 2 percent more jobs for trainees. The prospects for trained specialists to be taken over by the companies where they underwent training are…
BDK criticizes refusal to study racism within the police
by Thorsten Koch The Federation of German Criminal Police (BDK) has criticized the fact that the Federal Minister of the Interior, Seehofer, has rejected a scientific study on racial profiling within the police. Federation President Fiedler said he did not understand the reasoning that unwarranted…
Prime Minister Hans asks for caution on summer vacation
Saarland’s Prime Minister Hans asked for special caution during the summer vacation. Especially parents with schoolchildren should avoid risk areas. All citizens are required to take the regional levels of infection into account when choosing their respective holiday destination. On vacation, on should adhere to…
Increase in passenger numbers at Frankfurt Airport
The number of passengers at Frankfurt Airport has increased slightly, albeit at a low level. The operator Fraport counted about 250,000 passengers in the previous week. This is 83.3 percent less than in the same period last year, but compared to two weeks ago the…
Hardt: EU should strengthen WHO engagement
The CDU-CSU in the Bundestag has called for greater engagement by the European Union (EU) after the United States has left the World Health Organization (WHO). “As the largest contributor to WHO to date, the US has left a great vacuum,” commented the Union’s foreign…
Stabilization and fundamental rights, priorities during Germany’s Presidency of the EU Council
by Thorsten Koch Chancellor Angela Merkel emphasized in the face of the EU Council Presidency that fundamental rights in the European Union (EU) come first. The Corona pandemic is a challenge for the EU, she said. Maintaining fundamental rights such as freedom of speech, equality…
Federal Ministry of the Interior cancels study on racial profiling, pledges zero tolerance
by Thorsten Koch If police officers carry out personal checks without any real reason, but solely on the basis of external characteristics such as skin color, this is prohibited. It is racist. Racism occurs, according to many of those affected. Nevertheless, the Federal Ministry of…
Berlin head of police: state anti-discrimination law superfluous
Berlin police chief Slowik has called the controversial state anti-discrimination law superfluous. Many police officers also took the rules as a vote of no confidence. It will also result in police work being more complex. In everyday control situations, it would lead to more discussions….
Authorities took action against Islamist Internet content
The Federal Criminal Police Office, BKA, along with the authorities of 18 countries, have completed concerted action against Internet content with an Islamist-terrorist background. More than 1900 URLs have been reported to providers. The internet content behind the addresses was to be deleted. The websites…
Parts of the US Armed Forces are to withdraw from Germany
US President Donald Trump has approved a partial withdrawal of the US Armed Forces from Germany. According to a spokesman for the U.S. Department of Defense, 9,500 of the approximately 34,500 soldiers currently stationed in Germany are to leave. Apparently, a schedule is yet to…
Klöckner for more reasonable prices for meat products
Federal Minister of Agriculture Julia Klöckner (CDU) has strongly advocated that those responsible in the meat industry should remedy possible maladministration in production. After an industry meeting in Düsseldorf with animal owners, meat processing companies, the meat trade, animal and consumer protection groups, Klöckner said…
Gysi for lifting sanctions against Russia
Gregor Gysi, the foreign policy spokesman for the party Die Linke, has spoken out in favor of lifting EU sanctions against Russia. Gysi demanded that Europe move towards Russian President Putin and make him an offer. He granted the Federal Government a leadership role. One…
Maier for cooperation between the German states against right-wing extremism
Interior Minister Maier, of Thuringia, has spoken out in favor of close cooperation between the Federal States against violent right-wing extremism. He campaigned for a joint counter-terrorism center so that data on threats would be available across borders. The number of perpetrators across the federal…
Merkel wants to continue dialogue with China
Chancellor Angela Merkel wants to maintain a dialogue with the People’s Republic of China – despite the drastic security law that now applies to Hong Kong. After a video conference with EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Merkel described relations with China as strategically…
Merkel against anti-Semitism, for peaceful coexistence of Israel and the Palestinians
In a greeting to the American Jewish Committee’s annual conference, which was broadcast on video, Chancellor Angela Merkel promised the Jewish population a determined commitment against anti-Semitism and racism. Expressions of hate on social media or on the street is incompatible with the basic values…
Covid-19: donor conference successful
The international donor conference for vaccines and treatments against the Coronavirus has been successful. There were pledges of aid of 6.15 billion Euros of aid, which will be given out as loans and guarantees. 383 million Euros stem from Germany. Chancellor Angela Merkel said in…
Bayer reaches settlement over Glyphosate
The pharmaceutical company Bayer has reached a settlement in the legal dispute over Glyphosate, a weed killer. Bayer is committed to paying up to 10.9 billion USD to settle ongoing cases, and future cases, should these occur. The agreement brings about the resolution of three-quarters…
Free Corona tests in Bavaria
In the Free State of Bavaria, it will be possible for citizens to test for the Coronavirus free of charge, even without having symptoms. The tests should be voluntary. If a person decides to take a test, that person will not have to pay for…
Information deficits in report about right-wing extremism in public service
by Thorsten Koch The long-awaited Situation Report of the Offices for the Protection of the Constitution on “right-wing extremism in the public service” will not be a comprehensive overview. The document was announced last year in order to shed a light on right-wing extremism among…
Protection of the Constitution will monitor extremist communication
Federal Minister of the Interior Horst Seehofer (CSU) has announced that the grand coalition has reached agreement on the powers of the Constitutional Protection against extremists. The SPD has approved more digital competencies. The Union parties then decided against the online search measure, in which…