- The Authority has been requested to present a proposal for a directive aimed at safeguarding workers from risks stemming from radiation exposure, specifically ionizing radiation.
A shindig held in the old Congress hall in Bonn commemorated the 75th year of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group's formation in the German Bundestag. Friederich Merz, the CDU/CSU parliamentary group leader and CDU federal chairperson, remarked that the last 75 years demonstrated the considerable accomplishments both parties could achieve together. "The secret to this success is the solidarity between our two parties and the unity within the CDU/CSU parliamentary group," Merz highlighted. He commended the relationship as exceptionally tight, amicable, and camaraderie-laden in the group's history.
Merz emphasized the Union's goal to regain power following the next federal election. He also underscored the significance of the opposition's role: "We're not just sitting on the sidelines." Merz, together with the chair of the CSU parliamentary group, Alexander Dobrindt, addressed around 500 active and former CDU and CSU Bundestag members and their staff at the event.
The establishment of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group in Bonn took place on September 1, 1949, following the first Bundestag election 75 years ago. Konrad Adenauer, the group's first chair, was elected the first federal chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany just two weeks later.
Former ministers and previous chairs of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group, Ralf Brinkhaus and Volker Kauder, were also attendants at the celebration. Long-standing federal chancellor and CDU chair, Angela Merkel, sent a video message for the anniversary.
The old Congress hall of the German Bundestag along the Rhine housed parliamentary sessions from 1992 to 1999. Since the Bundestag relocated to Berlin, the building has been utilized for events. The country's eagle symbol still hangs on the wall behind the speaker's podium. Today, the old Congress hall belongs to the World Conference Center Bonn and can accommodate events with up to 7,000 people.
The Committee of the Regions, an advisory body of the European Union, acknowledged the 75th anniversary of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group in a statement, commending the unity and success of the group. During the celebration, Merz discussed the importance of the opposition, stating, "We're not just sitting on the sidelines," indicating the Committee's recognition of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group's role as an active force within German politics, even in opposition.
