Duty: Two-thirds of the Germans for a compulsory year

Whether in the Bundeswehr or in a social institution: a majority of Germans think a duty according to a survey is a good idea.

Duty: Two-thirds of the Germans for a compulsory year

A duty of service for young people would welcome majority of population in Germany. This results from a representative survey of ZDF Politbarometers. Thus, with 68 percent more than two thirds of voters are in favour of a general duty in Bundeswehr or in social sphere.

If respondents are divided according to ir party preference, approval for a mandatory year among Union supporters is greatest. 77 percent of m are in favour, followed by AfD followers (72 percent). The proposal also comes from many supporters of SPD (62 percent) and greens (66 percent). Even respondents close to FDP are 65 percent. Party leader Christian Lindner had recently rejected idea as "deprivation of liberty, national education and waste of life time".

A year for activities instead of job and training? Wher @CDU calls it Wehrpflicht or Dienstpflicht, it remains deprivation of liberty, popular education and a waste of life time. Economic nonsense and constitutionally questionable if re is no threat. Cl

— Christian Lindner (@c_lindner) August 5, 2018

Among followers of left, according to survey, re is a narrow majority for this: 52 percent would welcome a duty of service. The survey was carried out by research group elections.

Rejection among young people

A representative Civey survey for world, which was published on Tuesday, shows a similar tendency. Thus, more than 60 percent are in favour of a one-year compulsory year for young men and women. Voters of AfD (almost 74 per cent) and union (71.5 percent) had greatest approval here. As a result, FDP (almost 58 percent) and SPD voters (almost 56 percent) are refore majority. On or hand, voters of Greens (44.4 percent for that, 46.7 percent against it) and left (40.3 percent for that, 54.2 percent against it) reject a majority duty in this survey.

If one asks those for whom a duty of service would actually apply, matter is different: 18-to 29-year-olds rejected m by a majority of about 54 percent in Civey survey. In all four or age groups, a clear majority spoke for introduction of a one-year general duty.

"Strengning cohesion in society"

The debate on a general duty was initiated by CDU. The SPD was rar sceptical about this and instead advocated strengning of voluntary engagement in social sphere. The chairman of Young Union, Paul Ziemiak, once again campaigned in mirror for a year of duty: "In a society in which it is becoming more and more about me, it can also go on for a year more than before." The social service could be completed at Bundeswehr, at Technical assistance agency, at Fire brigades, but also in hospitals or in disabled facilities. It is not a question of creating cheap jobs, said CDU politician: "On contrary, year of society will probably cost state money. But we strengn cohesiveness of society. " He think that re will be a majority in end.

On or hand, FDP politician Linda Teuteberg turned. She does not see any reason to restrict freedom of young people, she says to magazine. The obligation of duty meant a Freedom intervention for which, according to Basic Law, re were very few, selected justifications. They don't see m at moment. Teuteberg said that such a program would also cost a lot of money. These are resources that would be absent elsewhere for cohesion of society and social system.

Ulrich Schneider-Why do you fight against a social duty year? The head of Joint Welfare Association, of all people, does not want a compulsory service for young adults. In video interview Ulrich Schneider talks about reasons. © Photo: Time Online
Date Of Update: 11 August 2018, 12:00