The CDU proposes that young people should work for society for a year after completing their schooling. This does not go down well in state politics. There are other suggestions too.
Erfurt (dpa/th) - The Thuringian CDU parliamentary group has met with its proposal to introduce a mandatory year of society with other groups, especially rejection. The Greens "fundamentally did not believe in compulsory or forced services," said the parliamentary group leader Astrid Rothe-Beinlich on Friday in the state parliament in Erfurt. That is why they also rejected the CDU's demand. In the past, for example, young people were obliged to work in the care of the elderly as part of community service, although they had no inner drive to do so. That didn't really help either those doing community service or those being cared for.
Criticism of the proposal also came from the ranks of the FDP group and the Left Group. According to the CDU parliamentary group leader Mario Voigt, it stipulates that young people should be obliged to do one year of service for society after they finish school - for example in sports or cultural clubs or in the armed forces. "It's a service to our country." In this way, social cohesion can be strengthened again.
With its application, the CDU wanted to request the state government by state parliament resolution to advocate the introduction of such a compulsory year for all school leavers at federal level. It is about the areas of military service, fire brigade, disaster and civil protection, technical relief organization, health and care, ecology, services of general interest or European cooperation and relationships. The application fell through. Voigt spoke of a missed opportunity.
Rothe-Beinlich, like other representatives of Red-Red-Green and FDP, explained that instead of relying on a compulsory year of service, the existing voluntary services should be made more attractive so that more young people get involved there. "You have to be able to afford voluntary services at the moment, that can't be," said the Greens politician. They should be better paid and part-time jobs are also needed. There are also young people who already have to take care of their own children or care for relatives.
