Category: Leaders

Four weeks after the state elections, they unanimously approved the coalition agreement. Now the party congresses of the three partners still have to approve the result of the negotiations next saturday. This is regarded as certain. Three days later, on 12. June, the SPD politician torsten albig (49) is to be elected then as prime minister.

After the conclusion of the negotiations, SPD state and parliamentary group chairman ralf stegner emphasized the great degree of fundamental convictions of the three partners. Fair education, good jobs, a consistent energy turnaround and solid finances he named as key points. Investments in education should lead to a decrease in social transfer costs, said stegner. Additional expenditures of 40 million euros in the 2013 budget – for example, for danish schools, women’s shelters or an expansion of nursing care for the elderly – would be counter-financed. Among other things, road construction funds are to be cut and the law on consolidating the budgets of particularly poor cities and municipalities is to be repealed.

By the end of the legislative period, the municipalities should also gradually get back the 120 million euros by which the former grand coalition (2005-2009) had cut the municipal financial compensation. The funds will be tied mainly to the expansion of daycare centers.

46 children between the ages of six and twelve came to the clubhouse this year, where numerous helpers provided for a varied afternoon.

Flight of the peace pigeons

Chairman reiner wilm welcomed the girls and boys. After the presentation of the breeders, the program began with the traditional flight of white peace doves. Afterwards the children went to the adjacent meadow, where shepherd wolfgang huter and his wife were already waiting for the children with their animals. The girls and boys were allowed to marvel at and stroke the goats and donkeys in the outdoor enclosure.

In the exhibition hall, other club members had exhibited rabbits, pigeons and chickens of various breeds. Males and females were separated in two enclosure rows. The children’s task was to find the right pairs on a drawing. A special attraction this year was again the hatching of young chicks. The children were allowed to hold the chicks in their hands and pet them to their hearts’ content. The breeders were happy to provide information about the characteristics of the individual breeds.

In the dispute over north korea’s nuclear weapons, U.S. Secretary of state rex tillerson has signaled a new willingness to talk to the reclusive communist regime.

"We are ready for a first meeting without preconditions". Let’s just come together," tillerson said in an address at the foreign policy research institute atlantic council. The topic of the talks does not matter as long as both sides are sitting opposite each other. Negotiators could then jointly set targets.??

Tensions in the region have escalated in recent months after north korea tested multiple missiles and another nuclear bomb in early september, in violation of UN resolutions. North korea says it can now attack the entire U.S. Mainland with nuclear warheads.

At a meeting with german chancellor angela merkel (CDU) in berlin on thursday, ban stressed that "german support is always welcome and highly appreciated."With regard to the debate on new foreign missions for the bundeswehr, he said that the decision was in the hands of the german government.

Merkel also sees german foreign policy facing new challenges. "Germany must intervene to bring certain conflicts to a solution," the CDU leader said in a joint press conference with ban. As examples, she cited the nuclear negotiations with iran, the syria crisis and the conflict in mali. However, it is not a question of "more or less military involvement". Political solutions would always be needed.

Earlier, foreign minister frank-walter steinmeier (SPD) had made similar comments. "It is rightly demanded of us that we interfere," steinmeier told the "suddeutsche zeitung" (thursday). "Germany is too big to just comment on world politics."At the foreign office, steinmeier participated with ban in the inaugural meeting of a new scientific advisory board for the united nations.

In the election of the CDU/CSU parliamentary party leader at the end of september, long-time incumbent volker kauder (CDU) will have to face a fightback vote.

The previous vice chairman of the parliamentary group ralph brinkhaus (CDU) confirmed to the newspapers of the "funke" media group that he wants to run against the confidant of chancellor angela merkel (CDU).

Kauder, however, receives support from merkel and CSU leader horst seehofer, as the "spiegel" reported. The deutsche presse-agentur also learned that merkel assured the 68-year-old from baden-wurttemberg that she would propose him again as parliamentary group leader. Seehofer had promised kauder in conversation that he would support him.