Bundestag CSU with controversial topics before the start of the closed session

Parties - Bundestag CSU with controversial topics before the start of the closed session

Leaner EU institutions, harsher penalties for climate activists, tougher sanctions for recipients of citizens' benefits, a massive rearmament of the German armed forces including a drone army: the CSU in the Bundestag is once again starting the new year with a comprehensive list of demands.

From Saturday, the members of the Bundestag want to discuss the political situation at the start of the 2024 European election year with a large number of guests, including EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and CSU leader Markus Söder, at their retreat in Seeon Monastery in Upper Bavaria.

Von der Leyen's opinion on the CSU's demand for a radical downsizing of the EU Commission is likely to be exciting. The draft of her position paper, which is available to the German Press Agency in Munich, states that the EU needs institutional reforms and a reduction in the size of the Commission and its civil service. "We are therefore calling for there to be only seven Commissioners in future instead of 27 and for the other Member States to be represented by junior Commissioners." The CSU's streamlining wishes go even further: "We also want to critically examine the number and structure of EU authorities and agencies."

"Europe must focus on its core tasks with renewed vigor: Creating prosperity, ensuring security and defending sovereignty," Alexander Dobrindt, head of the regional group, told dpa. This requires efficient institutions with a lean EU Commission at the top. "The aim must be to create a Europe that is competitive, ready to defend itself and strategically independent in the world."

Position paper with numerous demands

Over the past few days, new CSU demands from the position paper have appeared in various media practically every day, all of which have also been made available to dpa in Munich. An excerpt of the most important contents:

UKRAINE REFUGEES: "Conditions must be created with the government in Kiev so that Ukrainian refugees can return to safe areas of western Ukraine", according to a passage in the paper reported by the "Münchner Merkur". In addition, Ukrainian refugees should be more strongly encouraged to work instead of relying on the citizens' allowance.

CITIZENS' ALLOWANCE: The CSU is calling for tougher sanctions for recipients of citizens' allowance who refuse offers of work: "Benefits must be cut for as long as a recipient of citizens' allowance refuses to accept reasonable work," reported t-online.

CLIMATE ACTIVISTS: The impending penalties for street blockades or actions against art and buildings as well as at airports by climate activists are to be tightened. "The willful intrusion into high-security areas such as airports represents a considerable danger and must be punished with a prison sentence of at least six months," reported the "Bild" newspaper.

DEFENSE: In addition to a higher defense budget and new structures for the procurement of equipment and weapons, the CSU is calling for the establishment of a drone army. Furthermore, a German frigate in the Red Sea should help to protect trade routes, reported the "Augsburger Allgemeine".

OTHER GUESTS: In addition to Söder and von der Leyen, Bulgarian Foreign Minister Mariya Gabriel, Danish Immigration Minister Kaare Dybvad Bek, the President of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, Josef Schuster, Farmers' Association President Joachim Rukwied and Saxony's Head of Government Michael Kretschmer (CDU) are also expected to attend the three-day conference. CDU leader Friedrich Merz, however, will not be attending. Because of the invited guests, security precautions are particularly high this year, according to official information from those responsible at Seeon Monastery.