NationStates Jolt Archive

http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international/0,1518,384457,00.html
The CDU was successful in its demand to make it easier for businesses to fire people, a measure it believes will make the job market more flexible and encourage investment and hiring. In the future, new hires will face a two year "probationary period" during which employers can dismiss workers easily. Until now, that period has been just six months in most cases.

In an effort to help deal with Germany's rapidly aging population, contributions to the state pension system will rise in 2007 to 19.8 percent from 19.5 percent of gross wages. There was no change to the planned phaseout of nuclear power stations by 2021 -- a policy approved by the outgoing coalition government of the SPD and the Greens.

As you probably remember, the election a few weeks ago in Germany was something of an anti-climax.

With neither party getting enough votes to form a majority, the two major opponents, the Socialdemocratic SPD, and the Conservative CDU had to form a coalition.

Schröder stepped aside, as did the SPD's boss, Franz Müntefering. Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer of the Greens ("I'm sorry, Ai'm naht konvinst!" re: Iraq) also moved aside - but that's a moot point since the Greens are no longer in Government.

Anyways, this is the compromise that the two major parties came up with - the program for the next four years.
http://www.zeit.de/online/2005/46/eckpunkte (In German, I'll highlight the most important points)

Labour Market: It becomes easier to fire people, in return you no longer get the chance to limit employment contracts to less than two years without reason. The East gets a little more welfare money to get it more in line with the West. The "Ich-AG" concept of becoming self-employed and offering your services to firms will continue until at least Mid 2006.

Budget/Taxes: The Euro-Stability Treaty (no more than 3% deficit) is going to be met again by 2007. So that means raising taxes, lowering spending and cutting subsidies. Sales Tax goes up from 16 to 19% from 1st January 2007. And a "Wealth-Tax" of 3% on very high incomes over 250,000 Euros per person...

Family: From 2008 onwards the current benefits will be changed into a single parent support scheme independent of income. Parents that can't work due to their kids will get two thirds of their gross income for one year, to a maximum of 1800 Euros a month.

The Easterlings: Investment subsidies will be kept, by 2006 new ideas for providing more credit and supporting investment in the East will be added. The Soldiarity Payments (Taxes from the West go to State Governments in the East) stay at 156 Billion Euros from now until 2019.

Federalism: The competences of the state will be cut, and the opportunities for state governments to block federal decisions go too. In return the states get a free reign in education.

Europe: Push for a quick resolution for the current EU-budget talks. Germany won't pay more than 1% of GDP. But Germany will not question the agricultural subsidies compromise of 2002 (ie the current system :mad: )

Foreign Aid: By 2006 0.33%, by 2010 0.51% of GDP, with 2015 the time frame for the UN-target of 0.7%.

Any comments?

I still think that Germans get off light as far as employment benefits and guarantees go (compared to the US).

Here in the US, the ability to fire you varies by state. For instance, some states allow you to be dumped without reason or cause (at will employment). This works both ways - if you hate your job and find work elsewhere, you can just leave without giving any notice.

But companies in the US don't show much loyalty to most employees - you're expected to be a loyal and faithful employee - and in return, there's no guarantee you'll be employed tomorrow.

I still think that Germans get off light as far as employment benefits and guarantees go (compared to the US).

Here in the US, the ability to fire you varies by state. For instance, some states allow you to be dumped without reason or cause (at will employment). This works both ways - if you hate your job and find work elsewhere, you can just leave without giving any notice.

But companies in the US don't show much loyalty to most employees - you're expected to be a loyal and faithful employee - and in return, there's no guarantee you'll be employed tomorrow.
In the current situation, that kind of flexibility would probably be good (note that that doesn't imply a zero-tolerance policy on being poor or unemployed as in the US sometimes) - unemployment is at ridiculous levels in Germany, thanks to a complete lack of corporate confidence, spawned by and reinforced by the lack of consumer confidence.
It's a vicious cycle, and the budget deficit doesn't make solving it any easier.

That being said, Germany is still the top exporter world-wide, by some margin - it's just the domestic market that lags behind.

In the current situation, that kind of flexibility would probably be good (note that that doesn't imply a zero-tolerance policy on being poor or unemployed as in the US sometimes) - unemployment is at ridiculous levels in Germany, thanks to a complete lack of corporate confidence, spawned by and reinforced by the lack of consumer confidence.
It's a vicious cycle, and the budget deficit doesn't make solving it any easier.

That being said, Germany is still the top exporter world-wide, by some margin - it's just the domestic market that lags behind.

To be honest, I didn't pay much attention. I'm pretty pissed off from what was going on in the last few months - no honesty, no concepts, just petty tactics.

I heard that they want to raise the retirement age by 5 or 7 years or somethings. Considering that most people are already "getting retired" with 55, that's quite ridiculous.

Did you hear of any concepts from the Union regarding nuclear energy?

-snip-
Not really...didn't have much chance to hear everything.

Suffice to say that I think Nuclear Energy is a better industry to be in then Coal or Gas. Renewable energies are even better, but currently not enough to power the whole nation. Especially considering that we already have all the expensive nuclear plants standing around.

As for retirement age, I think it's stupid that there are legislated retirement ages anyways, people should choose themselves when they want to leave. If they're any good, and have experience, the employer and the would-be-retiree would sort themselves out.

Not US-related enough topic, is it?

Not US-related enough topic, is it?

Well, I've wondered why the Germans are getting rid of their nukes.

Better safety record than most countries.

Most innovative designs - the pebble bed reactor is inherently safe.

The oil WILL run out.

The only alternative power that can supply industrial power.

Well, I've wondered why the Germans are getting rid of their nukes.
The Greens were pretty much founded on those grounds and when they finally got into Government, that was Point One on their list.

http://www.germany-info.org/relaunch/info/archives/background/atom.html

The Greens were pretty much founded on those grounds and when they finally got into Government, that was Point One on their list.

http://www.germany-info.org/relaunch/info/archives/background/atom.html
What the fuck? Why?
Nuclear power is the cleanest and most efficient available.

What the fuck? Why?
Nuclear power is the cleanest and most efficient available.

If you ignore the radioactive waste left after that is.

But Germany will not question the agricultural subsidies compromise of 2002 (ie the current system :mad: )

Damnit! That sucks. :headbang:

If you ignore the radioactive waste left after that is.
Which is easily disposed of.
Most of it isn’t even radioactive after ten years. Hysteria keeps perfectly good resources in bunkers.

Which is easily disposed of.
Most of it isn’t even radioactive after ten years. Hysteria keeps perfectly good resources in bunkers.
Well, they transport the waste in so called "CASTOR-Transports" per rail, and everytime there were huge demonstrations against it, and I think once a French guy actually died (http://www.guardian.co.uk/elsewhere/journalist/story/0,7792,1347615,00.html) when he got hit by the train. Here (http://de.indymedia.org/2004/11/97810.shtml) is what their side says about it...

Which is easily disposed of.
Most of it isn’t even radioactive after ten years. Hysteria keeps perfectly good resources in bunkers.

Really? Most of the anti-nuclear protestors say "thousands and thousands of years".

Seems like the coalition is planning to ban "killergames". :headbang:

Die Neuregelungen im Jugendschutz werden schnellstmöglich – und deutlich vor dem für März 2008 verabredeten Zeitpunkt – evaluiert, um notwendige Konsequenzen rechtzeitig ziehen zu können. Wir wollen hierzu unverzüglich in einen zielorientierten Dialog mit den Ländern eintreten. Folgende Eckpunkte sollen vorrangig erörtert werden:


Wirksamkeit des Konstrukts „Regulierte Selbstkontrolle“
Altersgrenzen für die Freigabe von Filmen und Spielen/Alterskennzeichnung von Computerspielen
Verlässliche Kontroll- und Sicherheitsstandards für Videoverleihautomaten
Verbot von „Killerspielen“

Source (http://www.4players.de/4players.php/dispnews/PC-CDROM/Aktuelle_News/47862.html)

Seems like the coalition is planning to ban "killergames". :headbang:

What? I was under the assumption that Europe was more liberal than the United States. So why are they banning, "killergames"?

What? I was under the assumption that Europe was more liberal than the United States. So why are they banning, "killergames"?

Because the new government is conservative.

What? I was under the assumption that Europe was more liberal than the United States. So why are they banning, "killergames"?

I wish that was true, but that's only in regards to sex and nakedness. Violence is pretty much okay if it is in movies, but not in games. Violent games often get toned down by publishers in Germany to avoid getting put on the index or to receive lower ratings. E.g. the German version of San Andreas lacks headshots and you cannot kick people that are lying on the floor.

The situation got a little bit better here since the last revision of the JuSchG (Youth Protection Law) in 2003 which made it a lot more difficult for the BPjM to ban or index games - but now it seems like they're after games again.

Yeah, well - what can I say: :headbang:

:headbang:
Seconded.
:headbang: :headbang:

What can I say...move to Australia. :D

Or actually...don't. They aren't selling San Andreas here at all, after that Hot Coffee Mod was found, they reckoned FSK15 wasn't enough - and they don't have FSK18 for games in this country! So it's banned.

Seconded.
:headbang: :headbang:

What can I say...move to Australia. :D

Or actually...don't. They aren't selling San Andreas here at all, after that Hot Coffee Mod was found, they reckoned FSK15 wasn't enough - and they don't have FSK18 for games in this country! So it's banned.

Yeah, I've heard that. I wonder when politicians will realise that the average gamer is 29 years old and a fucking VOTER?