Parli Pros: The German Budestag 2021

MUNE IV

Welcome f rom your Cr is is D i rector

Greetings!

My name is Mindi Leit and I am your Crisis Director for Parli Pros: The German

Bundestag 2021. I am a senior at Emory University majoring in International Studies

and German Studies. I am also the current president of Emory’s German Culture Club.

I have been part of MUNE for 3 years now and I’m super excited to be running this

committee, especially since European politics is a passion of mine. While I am

studying German, this committee requires no German language skills. With that being

said, I hope you enjoy a taste of future European and German politics.

In this committee, the year is 2021. The European Union is in disarray. Germany is

one of few economically stable countries in the EU, but the country is beginning to

face its own economic troubles. Multiple Eurozone countries are defaulting on loans.

Energy costs have skyrocketed. Tensions rise with former EU members like Britain.

Immigration has reached record figures. Islamophobic groups continue to grow in

number. ISIS threatens national security. Secessionist movements spread across the

EU. Germany must resolve its domestic crises, while trying to keep the EU together.

Will German politicians be able to overcome their party differences and be the savior

that Europe desperately needs? Or will Europe be left in total anarchy? The fate of the

EU depends on Germany. Best of luck!

Sincerely,

Your Chancellor

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Rules & ProceduresCommittee

This committee will run as a typical crisis committee, with interactions between committee members, dais staff, and behind-the-scenes crisis staff. Each delegate will have distinct individual portfolio powers, along with the ability to take private joint action independently or with select other members depending on jurisdiction of powers.

Communication

Communication will be conducted through traditional paper notes (no computers allowed in committee). Delegates should have with them appropriate paper on which to compose public and joint private directives, as well as for private directives and notes to crisis. It is imperative that the pieces of paper you send to crisis (for non-public directive purposes) should have sufficient space on it for crisis to write a response on it. Any plans for action sent to crisis must clearly articulate what the action is, who is taking the action, the purpose of the action, and how that action is taken (resources and feasibility must be taken into account).

Delegates may very sparingly use their phones for fact checking purposes. It is at the discretion of the chair whether he deems phone use unreasonable and revokes the privilege.

Debate

There will be no formal speakers list in this committee as the dais expects delegates to propose the appropriate caucuses for informal debate. Sufficient debate, such as moderated caucuses, question & answer panels, or 2 for 2 against, is expected before moving into voting procedure on public documents. Additionally, the suspension of rules of debate for a round robin on discussions, especially for the purpose of prioritizing a variety of issues the committee faces, will be entertained by the chair when adequate.

Documents

Any document (directives, communiqués, and press releases) to be put before the committee as a whole requires at least 20% of attending delegate’s signatures to be submitted to the dais. Remember that there must be separate motions to introduce, debate, and move into voting procedure on all documents. Public documents may be passed by a “yes” vote from 50% + 1 of the body in attendance.

Language and Attire

The official language for business in this committee is English. Delegates may use Spanish phrases in debate if they choose, as long as this does not impede the understanding of the statement by the body or a translation is provided in the time allotted. However, the body of all papers in the committee must be in English.

Western Business attire is expected.

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BackgroundBackground on Germany (Deutschland)

The Bundestag

The German Bundestag and the Bundesrat form the German Legislature. The Bundesrat is

considered to be the upper house and Bundestag the lower. The Bundestag is based in the Reichstag

Building in Berlin.

The Bundestag are elected for roughly 4-year terms using a mixed-member proportional system.

Germans vote two times: once for the person who will represent their district and needs plurality vote in

that district to get elected, and the other for a party. The Bundestag reserves 299 of its seats of members

who were directly voted in and the rest for parties who get at least 5% of the vote. The total of

approximately 598 are split proportionally according to the percentage of vote the parties have received,

taking into account the directly elected seats, which are handed out first. Below is an example of how the

electoral system works (though keep in mind the percentages and total number of seats can change

based on how many seats are directly elected, which is otherwise referred to as overhanging seats).

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Since many parties can have seats in the Bundestag, it is unusual for parties to have a simple

majority. Due to this, most governments are coalition governments formed by two or more parties

coming together and attaining a majority. This ensures they have total control of the government and can

push their agenda forward. The Bundestag is responsible for voting on the German Chancellor, who is the

Head of Government in Germany. The President of Germany nominates the Chancellor for office. The

Chancellor is elected after every Federal election cycle and has no term limit. They can request the

President to dismiss the Bundestag if they feel there is not enough legislative progress being made. A

constructive vote of no confidence is the German variation of a vote of no confidence, which calls for a

vote to remove and replace the current government. In the German version, the current government does

not leave their positions until the vacancies are filled; thus, Germany is never left without a government.

The Bundestag can also elect a new Chancellor if they feel the current one is falling short of their duties.

In order to ensure that members vote how they feel rather than by party lines, the chancellor is voted on

a secret ballot.

The law making process is complex because it traditionally begins behind Government closed

doors. It then requires multiple readings and approval from various legislative actors and institutions.

For the sake of this committee, delegates can assume that any legislation pertaining to Germany

(excluding EU action) that is passed in the Bundestag will become law. Das Grundgesetz or the Basic Law

for the Federal Republic of Germany is the constitutional law of Germany. Any law that is considered to

conflict with the Basic Law is debated at the Federal Constitutional Court, das Bundesverfassungsgericht,

in Karlsruhe.

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Political Parties

Notable political parties include the CDU/ CSU, the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD), and

The Greens (Grüne), the Alternative for Germany (AfD), The Left (Linke), Free Democratic Party (FDP),

and Pirate Party Germany (Piraten).

The CDU (Christlich Demokratische Union/Christian Democratic Union) is the current main

conservative party in Germany and has its strongest support in southwestern and western Germany. It

was formed in 1945 from the Center Party, a Catholic party against National Socialism. In the past, the

CDU supported German reunification, NATO, and European integration, and today remains against

socialism and laissez-faire economics. The CSU (Christlich-Soziale Union/Christian Social Union) was

formed around the same time as and is closely related to the CDU but prevails in Bavaria and often takes

a more conservative stance on issues like childcare, same-sex marriage, abortion and immigration.

The SPD (Sozialdemokratische Partei/Social Democratic Party) was formed in the late 1800s

under Marxist values, eventually being exiled during the Nazi regime. Once returned after the war, the

party has become much more moderate and even disavowed its Marxist values. It continues to represent

the interests of the working class and most of its support lies in large cities in northern Germany.

Die Grünen/Bündnis 90 (The Greens/Alliance ’90) was formed in 1980 with pacifism and

environmental issues as its priority. The party has also strongly opposed nuclear weapons and NATO. It

had a previous coalition with the SPD, with which it worked to ease immigration and same-sex civil

partnerships. Main support comes from wealthier urban populations.

The AfD (Alternative für Deutschland/Alternative for Germany) is a brand-new right-wing populist

party that focuses largely on getting rid of the Euro in Germany. It draws support from wealthier (usually

male) professionals who are opposed to continuing to “prop up the Euro with taxpayer money.” Its

ideology stems from German nationalism and social conservatism and is anti-Islam.

Die Linke (The Left) formed recently from the Party of Democratic Socialism (the successor to the

communist party) and the Labor and Social Justice Party. It is a left-wing populist party, maintains

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pacifist values and advocates for the dissolution of NATO.

The FDP (Freie Demokratische Partei/Free Democratic Party) was formed in 1948 and supports

the free market economy and reduced government intervention. It advocates for human rights and

internationalism. Most of the party’s support comes from small towns and conservative populations.

The Piratenpartei (Pirate Party) is a new party representing a much younger population

concerned with a “digital revolution” in which Internet freedom would be secured and governmental

censorship eliminated.

Refugees

When the migrant crisis first came to light, Germany was the prime place that a large amount of

Syrian migrants sought refugee. Late summer 2015 marks a shift in German immigration policy that

would set Germany apart as a leader in asylum acceptance. Germany created an open-door policy for

migrants by allowing in hundreds of thousands in that first year alone. Refugees would be welcomed by

German citizens at the Munich Central Station, where they would finally reach safety from wars taking

place in their homeland.

Fast forward a year and one can see that public opinion and political agenda became increasingly

negative. One of the ways that Germans have showed how they feel in the most democratic way possible

was by welcoming in the AfD (Alternative für Deustchland), the anti-immigrant, far-right party, to the

Bundestag. Germany’s turn towards nationalism was not shocking when you consider the nationalists

movements across around the world, but its transformation has been worrisome given Germany’s past.

The naturalization process in Germany also faced efficiency problems as many new arrivals languished in

temporary shelters and waited on absurdly long lines to have their cases reviewed.

The refugee crisis also created controversy at the EU level as Merkel called for a common

immigration response from EU nations to balance the burden. Relocation plans and quotas had countries,

especially those directly impacted by the European debt crisis, extremely worried that their economies

cannot handle assimilation of a vast influx of refugees.

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Background on the European Union

History and Structure

The EU began as the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) with Germany, France,

Luxembourg, Netherlands, Belgium, and Italy. The biggest purpose for the beginning the ECSC was to

create an organization that would help stop Germany and France from fighting each other. The

organization has since expanded to 27 countries and is based around the freedom of interstate

movement in terms of workers and money within Europe. The massive organization is based in Brussels,

Belgium. There are 7 official EU institutions. The four major institutions with the EU are the European

Commission, the European Parliament, the Council of the EU, and the European Council.

The European Commission is based in Brussels. The Commission is the EU’s executive body. It is

responsible for proposing and implementing EU laws, monitoring the treaties and the daily running of

the European Union. Furthermore, it is also responsible for managing and implementing the European

budget, negotiating trade agreements between the EU and countries outside of the EU, and adding

countries to the EU.

The European Parliament is the only directly elected EU body. It is also located in Brussels. It

represents the EU’s 500 million inhabitants and plays a key role in electing the president of the European

Commission. It shares power over the EU budget and legislation with the Council of the European Union.

Germany also has a system known as Landesvertretung in which German States engage in lobbying at the

EU level (as well as at home) to ensure German interests are being represented by parliamentarians at

the supranational level.

The role of the Council of the EU is to be the voice of the EU member governments, adopt EU laws,

and coordinate EU policies. Government ministers from each EU state meet to discuss, amend and adopt

laws. They have the authority to commit their governments to the actions agreed on in the meetings.

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The European Council brings together EU leaders to set the EU’s political agenda. It represents the

highest level of political cooperation between EU countries. The European Council decides on the EU’s

overall direction and political priorities. However, they do not pass laws.

Euro and Monetary Policy

Another important institution is the European Central Bank (ECB). Located in Frankfurt, the ECB

is meant to keep prices stable by managing the euro and setting monetary policy (each member country

is responsible for their own fiscal policies). Tasks include managing interest rates, balancing exchange

rates through management of foreign currency reserves, supervising financial institutions, controlling

money flow (deciding to print money), and assessing economic risks. The ECB directs cooperation

between national central banks in the EU, known as the eurosystem.

Benefits of adopting the euro have been: more commerce through lower transaction costs, greater

mobility of capital and labor through the elimination of national currencies, and greater economies of

scale and global influence.

The euro crisis, however, revealed the weaknesses of the euro. Problems stem from a monetary

rather than a fiscal union (little oversight of national finances), no formal procedure for a country to exit,

and ECBs insufficient monitoring of unemployment and private/public debt. These flaws ultimately

showed the limitations of the EU’s supranational institutions and have prompted many states to consider

leaving the Eurozone.

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Germany in 2021

Elections

Since the 2017 elections, voters are continuing to vote for minority parties in greater number. As a

result, the party system has been fractured and more parties are needed to form a government. In the

2021 elections, the Alternative for Germany (AfD) won the most seats in the Bundestag, but not a

majority. Due to their extreme right-wing stance, no elected party wanted to form a coalition with the

AfD. The Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU) won the second most seats in the Bundestag.

Thus, they devised a devious plan to create their own coalition with opposition parties that could

successfully rival and exclude the AfD. The 2021 coalition consists of the CDU/ CSU, the Social Democratic

Party of Germany (SPD), and The Greens (Grüne). This means that the notable parties in the opposition

are the Alternative for Germany (AfD), The Left (Linke), Free Democratic Party (FDP), and Pirate Party

Germany (Piraten). President Frank-Walter Steinmeier—member of the CDU and president since 2017—

proposed Angela Merkel be the candidate for chancellor and with support from the majority of the

Bundestag (and after much pleading with Merkel to accept the position), Angela Merkel was reinstated as

PM. It is important to note that the coalition tries to agree on major issues because the last thing they

want is for there to be a constructive vote of no confidence, which could disband their government.

However, tensions continue to rise between all of the parties as EU politics become more chaotic.

Right-Wing Politics

Protests, led by nationalist supporters, erupted across Germany following the elections. AfD

supporters felt cheated by the government. Now, two months after the elections, national protests have

died down; however, underlying strains are still very much apparent. Right-wing supporters continue to

grow in number.

This growth in the right-wing is also evidenced by the increased support for the National

Democratic Party of Germany (NDP). The Federal Constitutional Court controversially deemed this

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ultranationalist party constitutional in 2017, despite evidence that the NDP supports neo-Nazism. While

the NDP has not yet reached the 5% threshold for representation in the Bundestag, polling at 4.8% in the

2021 election, many are worried that the NDP will garner adequate support for future elections. The NDP

is now the AfD’s closest ally in the fight against immigration and EU membership. The NDP has even

engaged in small acts of organized violence targeted at refugees as well as participation in the recent

protests after the CDU assumed power. It is unclear at this time how far the NDP will escalate their

tactics, though intelligence suggests that the NDP is ramping up for more large-scale acts of violence.

Another important group to the right movement is the Patriotic Europeans Against the

Islamization of the West (PEGIDA). Founded in Dresden in 2014, this social movement has openly

terrorized Muslim immigrants through acts such as violent protests, vandalizing foreign-owned

businesses, and even attacking a young Muslim couple in a public park in the days following the CDUs

most recent rise to power. In a recent poll, 60% of Germans say they understand why PEGIDA is

protesting. Despite being predominantly a group of ordinary citizens, PEGIDA only continues to grow

more organized.

Refugees

Syrian refugees, while still flooding into Germany, have reduced in number in recent years. The

largest problem Germany now faces in regards to refugees is assimilation and adequate infrastructure.

Housing and transportation are in desperate need of expansion and refurbishment in order to meet the

needs of Germany’s growing population. Another concern is the health of incoming immigrants who rely

on German hospitals to help remedy diseases spread in refugee camps. Public health concerns have

hampered further integration of refugees. All of these expenses will require increased public spending

and creativity to solve.

Economy

Germany is still a net exporter and balanced economy, but economic troubles are beginning to

plague the nation. Economic woes of the EU have manifested themselves in Germany through growing

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unemployment rates. The groups most affected by this are immigrants and youth. Immigrants have found

it difficult to join the formal workforce due to language barriers and in some cases, discrimination. Youth

unemployment rates are also extremely high at approximately 12% (at its height around 2005 the

unemployment rate was just shy of 16%). Long-term unemployment remains the biggest concern for

policymakers. With immigration already causing rifts within Germany, social cohesion is further

undermined by the stress of long-term unemployment.

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Europe and “Friends” in 2021

Germany cannot unilaterally control EU decisions; however, the nation’s influence as the assumed

“leader of the EU” is clearly evident. France, who has vied for control since the Union’s inception, has

taken a more backseat role due to internal power struggles since the National Front, under the leadership

of Marine Le Pen, took power. Other notable leaders in 2021 include President Putin (Russia), President

Trump (USA), President Erdogan (Turkey), and Prime Minister May (UK).

Scotrance

Another important addition to the world order is the newly formed Prime Minister of Scotland,

Nicola Sturgeon. Sturgeon, who leads the Scottish National Party (SNP), has been a staunch critic of Trump

and supporter of Merkel—though Sturgeon is an opponent to austerity measures, a calling card for Germany. In

2020 Scotland made the bold decision to secede from the UK following the confirmed Brexit in 2019. Scotland

is in final talks with European officials about adopting the euro. Scotland is also dealing with the ramifications

of strained relations with Britain. In particular, control of banking and North Sea oil reserves has become hotly

contested. Scotland must work on securing its economic and energy resources in order to maintain a sustainable

future.

Grexit

Scotland may soon be in to the eurozone, but Greece has been kicked out of the eurozone (Greece

is still a member of the EU). Earlier in 2021 Greece was voted out of the eurozone on the basis of an ever-

rising debt that continued to pull down the value of the euro. Germany had again instructed Greece to

institute austerity measures, but opposition protests continued to mount over the years leading up to the

government’s decision to overtly disobey Germany. With the knowledge that Greece’s economy would

continue to plummet, as Greece did not take effective action to change its fate, it was decided that Greece

was not too big to fail. Thus, Greece is still in the European Union, but they will have to adopt a new,

separate local currency. Greece is in the process of shifting from the euro to a new currency.

Turkey13

Turkey still wants to join the EU, but the diplomatic relationship has been a bit more of an enigma

as of late. The biggest issue at hand at the moment is still the ongoing Civil War in Syria. When it comes

to Syrian refugees, the relationship has been pretty stable. The EU has disbursed € 3 billion to refugees

based in Turkey. Turkey has played a major role in helping Syrian refugees by taking in about 4.5 million

people and counting. However, Turkey has also been a thorn in the side of to everyone involved. Prior to

Turkey inserting forces in Syria, ISIS was using their neutrality to their advantage. A great deal of ISIS

recruited fighters for the battle in Syria would come through Turkey from Europe. The Turkish

government was not stopping them. This was always a little bit curious when you consider the fact that

Turkey has the largest military in the Middle East. However, ever since Turkey agreed to join in the

fighting against ISIS, there have been several events that have taken place. First of all, we had the Russian

Ambassador assassinated as a response to the restoration of diplomatic relations between the two

nations. Then, on New Years’ Eve night 2016, we had an ISIS terrorist attack on a nightclub in Istanbul.

Finally, in 2020 we saw the joint attack on Turkey’s capital, Ankara, at Anıtkabir, the mausoleum of

Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, and Kocatepe Mosque, Ankara’s largest mosque. ISIS feels betrayed by Turkey for

entering the Syrian Civil War and now shows no mercy towards Prime Minister Erdogan. All in all, the

biggest issues that are hindering the diplomatic relationship and EU membership, is the uncertainty that

is taking place with Turkey’s national security.

Economy

The EU struggles economically as more nations face mounting debts. Despite relatively steady

growth in the years following the 2008 crisis, unemployment (particularly youth unemployment) has

remained high among many eurozone member states. Economists argue that the growth rate has simply

not been high enough to solve major economic problems. The gap between the wealthy and poor (Gini

coefficient) is showing higher levels of inequality in more than half of the EU’s member states.

Economic troubles have only been worsened because of the state of the international economy.

Since President Trump assumed office, there has been a greater pushback against globalized trade; thus, 14

global growth rates have slowed in recent years and European exports have decreased in demand. Brexit

also hampered trade between the UK and EU member states. Additionally, global oil prices are partly

responsible for higher inflation of the euro. Falling oil prices have resulted in a decreased demand of EU

exports among oil-exporting countries.

The European Commission forecasts that the economic outlook is extremely risky and uncertain.

Emerging markets are likely to see slower growth, unemployment will remain high, and investments will

be riskier. Upholding the Stability and Growth Pact will require the strong Eurozone members, namely

Germany, to take action to alter budgetary policy and promote growth across Europe.

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A reduction in EU growth has also led to greater anti-Europe sentiment. Grassroots secessionist

movements as well as the success of anti-EU political parties are continuing to grow in prominence

across the continent. Not only will nations like Germany have to help solve the economic crisis, but also

reassure EU member states that remaining unified is the best course of action for a prosperous future.

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Positions

Volker Kauder, Chairperson of the Christlich Demokratische Union Deutschlands, CDU (Christian Democratic Union of

Germany):

Kauder is often considered to be Chancellor Angela Merkel’s right hand man, having even served as her campaign coordinator during

the 2005 federal elections. He previously served on the Committee on Labor and Social Affairs and on the Committee on the Election

of Judges. Kauder is against recognizing Islam as an equal religion within Germany, maintaining that “Muslims are a part of

Germany, Islam is not.” He has also criticized churches in Germany for not making enough of an effort to prevent people from

abandoning organized religion and has suggested that EU ascension talks with Turkey should be suspended until they grant more

rights to Christians in their country. In terms of LGBT rights, Kauder opposes the right of adoption for homosexual couples, as well as

equal treatment of heterosexual and homosexual couples. As for EU politics, Kauder criticized the European Central Bank’s buying of

indebted countries’ debt, and he has generally opposed renegotiation of budgetary and financial agreements to help struggling nations.

Julia Klöckner, Deputy Chairperson of the Christlich Demokratische Union Deutschlands, CDU (Christian Democratic Union

of Germany):

Klöckner initially served in the Bundestag from 2002-2011, during which time she was a parliamentary undersecretary in the Federal

Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection, before coming back in the 2021 election. She was the chair of the CDU for

the Rhineland-Palatinate (Rheinland-Pfalz) region. In 2016 she unsuccessfully campaigned to become Minister-President of

Rheinland-Palatinate. Seeking to distance herself from Merkel’s increasingly unpopular migrant policies while still remaining loyal,

Klöckner proposed adopting flexible daily quotas for refugees. This was also seen as an attempt to appeal to the traditional roots of the

CDU, many of whom criticize Merkel’s adoption of positions on all ends of the political spectrum. Klöckner has opposed a ban on

burkas and also opposes both abortion and stem cell research. Additionally, she has called for a measure mandating that publicly

traded companies have at least 30 percent of the seats on their boards held by women. Furthermore, she is also known as the German

Wine Queen.

David McAllister, Member of the Christlich Demokratische Union Deutschlands, CDU (Christian Democratic Union of

Germany) and of the European Parliament:

He holds both German and British citizenship, as his mother was Scottish and his father German. He remains proud of his Scottish

roots and has worked to cultivate ties between Germany and the UK. He served as Prime Minister of Lower Saxony (Niedersachsen)

from 2010-2013, as well as chairman of the CDU in Lower Saxony from 2008-2016, a post which he resigned to focus on his career in

Europe. In European Parliament, he is a member of both the Delegation for Relations with the United States and the Committee on

Foreign Affairs. He also serves as the European Parliaments rapporteur on issues regarding Serbia and its ascension talks with the EU.

Horst Seehofer, Chairperson of the Christlich-Soziale Union in Bayern, CSU (Christian Social Union in Bavaria) and Minister-

President of Bavaria:

Seehofer has previously served as both Federal Minister for Health and Social Security and Federal Minister of Food, Agriculture and

Consumer Protection. He was also briefly President of the Bundesrat from 2011-2012. He is a vocal critic of Chancellor Merkel’s

policies on migrants and has threatened to take her to court. He has remarked that Muslim migrants are no longer needed in Germany

and has called on those already in Bavaria to integrate and adopt Bavarian values. Seehofer is opposed to Turkey becoming part of the

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EU. He also called for the German constitution to be changed to allow referendums on issues of further European integration.

Seehofer has often accused members of his own party of being too sympathetic toward Russia, but also traveled to Russia to meet

Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2016, a move that was decried by many German politicians.

Sigmar Gabriel, Vice-Chancellor of Germany and Member of the Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands, SPD (Social

Democratic Party of Germany):

Gabriel is noted as a more liberal member of the SPD. He previously served as the Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy,

Minister of the Environment, and Minister-President of Lower Saxony. He has maintained that the primary objective in Russia’s

conflict with Ukraine is resolving the conflict, not punishing Russia. He publicly urged Saudi Arabia to stop supporting the radical

Wahhabi mosques in Germany, which many believe serve as breeding grounds for Islamic extremists, and he was unusually outspoken

against the Saudi regime in a 2015 visit. Also in 2015, Gabriel visited the Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan to learn more about the

plight of refugees. He supports plans to regulate the flow of migrants, such as calls to adopt a points system for migrants like the one

used in Canada. Though his party supports the ascension of “a modern Turkey” to the EU, Gabriel has recently stated that he believes

such an ascension is a long way off.

Hannelore Kraft, Chairperson of the Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands, SPD (Social Democratic Party of Germany):

Kraft previously served as the Minister-President for the North Rhine-Westphalia (Nordrhein-Westfalen) region. She also served as

President of the Bundesrat from 2010-2011. Kraft has particularly close relations with France, serving as co-chairwoman of the

German-French Friendship Group. Kraft is a strong supporter of investment in renewable energy. She is a strong opponent of fracking

and has aimed to increase the use of renewable sources of energy in North Rhine-Westphalia. Like her SPD colleagues, she has also

supported increased regulation of the migrant flow. However, Kraft opposed the points system supported by Gabriel, calling instead

for more measures to help Germany’s unemployed, whose wages have become especially fragile with the influx of migrants.

Aydan Özoğuz, Member of the Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands, SPD (Social Democratic Party of Germany):

Özoğuz is a Muslim and child of Turkish immigrants. She previously served as Minister of State and Commissioner for Immigration,

Refugees and Integration. Her appointment to the later position was hailed as a major milestone for Germany’s Turkish population.

She has been heavily involved in migrant-related issues, and she accompanied Gabriel on his visit to the Zaatari refugee camp in

Jordan. She has recently been against proposed ban on recognizing child marriages of migrants, arguing that it could have harmful

effects, such as a loss of entitlement benefits, in certain cases. She also has stated her support for Turkey eventually joining the EU but

believes they are a long way off. Özoğuz has been the subject of controversy regarding her two brothers, who run a radical Islamist

website with ties to Iran.

Cem Özdemir, Chairperson of die Grünen/ Bündnis 90, Grüne (the Greens/Alliance ‘90): Özdemir is the child of Turkish

immigrants and considers himself “a secular Muslim.” He has been a member of the Bundestag since 2013 and previously served in

the European Parliament from 2004-2009. In the Bundestag he serves as deputy chairman of the German-Chinese Parliamentary

Friendship Group. He has previously pushed for European citizens to have more direct influence on European issues via plebiscites.

Özdemir supports the ascension of Turkey to the EU. However, in 2014 Özdemir gave a speech that was critical of the Turkish Prime

Minister’s policies and Erdogan lashed out at him in return. Özdemir has also supported the legalization of cannabis in Germany.

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Boris Palmer, Member of die Grünen/ Bündnis 90, Grüne (the Greens/Alliance ‘90):

Palmer previously served in the state parliament of Baden-Württemberg from 2001-2007 and previously mayor of Tübingen. Palmer

has adopted many radical views within his party, often supporting unusual Green-Conservative coalitions. Once pegged as a rising star

in the Green Party, there are many who questions whether he belongs in the party at all. He has been critical of giving adoption rights

to homosexual couples, and despite his party’s support for unlimited immigration, he has persistently called for restrictions on

migrants. He has called for refugees who have committed crimes in Germany to be expelled. He has also called upon his party to show

greater tolerance in dealings with the Alternative for Deutschland Party (AfD).

Frauke Petry, Chairperson of the Alternative für Deutschland, AfD (Alternative for Germany

Party):

Petry is considered far-right on the political spectrum. In early 2016, it was recorded that Petry had said

on the topic of immigration, that border-patrol police should use firearms and other means necessary to

stop the entry of illegal immigrants. Later, she has defended her comments by mentioning that firearms

should be only used as a last resort. She has called burqas a “religious costume” that should not be worn

in schools. She is anti-circumcision, arguing that a person’s individual freedom should not be

overshadowed by a person’s right to religious expression and freedom. She does not support mandatory

quotas for women. Outside of politics, Petry founded her own business, PURinvent, a Leipzig-based

manufacturer of polyurethane tire fill products in 2007.

Alexander Gauland, Co-founder and Spokesperson for the Alternative für Deutschland, AfD

(Alternative for Germany Party):

Gauland is a large proponent of anti-immigration laws. Previously, he had been a member of the CDU.

Gauland is a sympathizer of PEGIDA or Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamisation of the West.

Recently, he made racial remarks about footballer Jerome Boateng stating, “people like him [Boateng] as

a footballer, but they don’t want to have Boateng as a neighbor”.

Leif-Erik Holm, Member of the Alternative für Deutschland, AfD (Alternative for Germany Party):

Holm is a leading member of the AfD and was previously a chairperson of the AFD in Mecklenburg-

Vorpommern. He has made public warnings to Germans about the dangers of Islam and the importance

of stopping its spread. Holm has a degree in economics and is characterized (like many members of his

party) as a EU-skeptic. He has also worked as a radio presenter for the private Antenne MV broadcaster.

Katja Kipping, Co-chairperson of die Linke, Linke (the Left):

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Kipping is a socialist voice who strongly favors control of financial markets. She advocates for a national

set-income and was previously a spokesperson for transportation and energy policy. She is also a

proponent to Hartz IV, the implemented method of social welfare. In an interview with Red Pepper

Magazine she argued for preventing further privatization and fighting locally for recommunalization with

areas like private electricity grids. She also believes in the power of social movements when balanced

with organized political mobility.

Bernd Riexinger, Co-chairperson of die Linke, Linke (the Left):

A banker by profession, Riexinger is a member of the Initiative for networking between trade union leftists

and is active in the Social Forum movement in Germany, which supports counter-hegemonic

globalization. He initiated mass protests against the Agenda 2010, which instituted economic reforms,

including social security. He supports the redistribution of wealth to enable social change. He wants to

ensure suitable working and living conditions, as well as equitable social participation.

Sahra Wagenknecht, Deputy Chairperson of die Linke, Linke (the Left):

Wagenknecht had previously run for vice-chair of the Left, but was denied because of suspicion that she

was a sympathizer for the German Democratic Republic, the Eastern Bloc of Germany during the Cold

War. She is more anti-capitalistic than members of the Green or Social Democratic parties. She is also

generally against collaborations between political parties of differing views. She also wants to limit the

number of incoming refugees.

Christian Lindner, Chairperson of the Freie Demokratische Partei, FDP (Free Democratic Party):

Lindner is left-leaning on both the economic and social spectra. This means that he holds a very open

stand on immigration. At the same time, he has been very apprehensive of Angela Merkel’s open-door

policy. At a convention of the Free Democratic Party of Germany, Christian said, “I’m worried that the

hopes of the refugees will be disappointed and our capacity overburdened.” Furthermore, in 2008 he was

a liaison officer to the Air Force Land Command in Düsseldorf and since September 2011 he has held the

rank of Captain in the Reserve. He has been an FDP spokesman for Innovation, Science and Technology.

He is an adamant supporter of entrepreneurship and giving failed entrepreneurs a second chance

(inspired by his own failed Internet company).

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Julia Reda, Member of Piratenpartei Deutschland, Piraten (Pirate Party Germany) and president of

the Young Pirates of Europe.

Reda is very interested in copyright reform. She wants to keep the euro and therefore the EU. In addition,

she wants to increase movement across borders rather than increasing border control, is interested in

creating common law for all European countries, and is interested in creating an organization of pan-

European decentralized energy producers who can work together to take over the energy market, away

from non-renewable energy producers. With this, Reda also advocates for easy market-access for these

decentralized energy producers.

Questions to Consider

The point of this committee is to maintain stability in Germany and Europe. Germany is

characterized as a nation that tries to avoid conflict and prefers diplomacy when possible. After all,

Germany’s Basic Law (Article 87a) dictates that die Bundeswehr (the Germany unified armed forces) is

intended to be defensive. Please keep that in mind when debating foreign policy actions. Additionally,

while international politics have become more polarized and in some instances outlandish in recent

years, this committee is still meant to be a fairly realistic portrayal of the future. In other words, there

will be no nuclear war, genocides, or any violence of that magnitude. In terms of EU specific actions, this

committee can propose actions, but is not officially members of the European Commission. Germany has

sway in policymaking and can communicate with other EU leaders, but keep in mind that other voting

nations have their own ideals. Thus, it is best to propose solutions that benefit Germany that

simultaneously do not undermine the stability of other EU nations.

Here are some other important considerations to ponder while researching:

What are Germany’s strategic assets? Weaknesses? This can be geographical, economical, industrial,

etc.

What are the origins and key differences between the political parties?21

What are the pros/cons of various economic policies?

What are the socio-political, economic, health, and infrastructural ramifications of mass population

influxes?

How have protest movements shaped Germany?

How has terrorist threats and attacks shaped Germany and the EU?

What powers and limitations does Germany have in international politics?

Furthermore, if you are interested in familiarizing yourself further with the Basic Law below is a link to a

translated PDF. https://www.bundestag.de/blob/284870/ce0d03414872b427e57fccb703634dcd/

basic_law-data.pdf

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