Bavaria’s state government wants to legislate to prevent universities and colleges from banning military use of their research. On Tuesday, the cabinet approved a draft for a “law to promote the Bundeswehr in Bavaria” with a “clear ban on a so-called civil clause,” said State Chancellor Florian Herrmann (CSU) on Tuesday after the meeting of the Council of Ministers in Munich. This “restriction of research” is “not sensible” and “not possible”.
Basically, Bavaria wants to use the law to become more attractive as a location for the Bundeswehr and the arms industry, emphasized Herrmann. The law is the first in a German federal state to support the Bundeswehr.
With civil clauses, some universities in other federal states have committed themselves to preventing their research from being used in the military sector, said Herrmann. This has not yet been the case in Bavaria, despite relevant discussions. The state government also wants to use the law to prescribe a “cooperation requirement” between universities and the Bundeswehr. If it is necessary “for reasons of national security,” there should even be an obligation to cooperate.
The Free State also wants to use the law to make things easier for the Bundeswehr in other areas. Among other things, the rules for the construction of barracks, for example, are to be simplified with a view to monument protection. In addition, state schools should work with youth officers as part of “political education,” said Herrmann. The Bundeswehr should also be able to introduce itself at career orientation events. At the same time, there should be no mixing of political education and recruitment for service.