Laws
Overview: The most important decisions of the Federal Council
In the future, greenhouse gas emissions should be viewed across sectors – this is what the Federal Council has approved. photo
© Kay Nietfeld/dpa
The traffic light coalition’s self-determination law was fought over for a long time. Now it has overcome the final hurdle. The Federal Council also agrees to further laws from the traffic light coalition.
Naming rights, climate protection amendment, self-determination law – the The Federal Council has put a stop to a number of laws from the traffic light coalition. The Mediation Committee received no additional work. Football fans should be particularly pleased that the state chamber has also approved the exceptions to noise protection for public viewing events for the upcoming European Championship.
At the start, Federal Council President Manuela Schwesig (SPD) praised the Basic Law promulgated 75 years ago and defended Germany’s federal order anchored there. The states and the Federal Council are a counterweight to an excessively strong position of the federal government, said the Prime Minister of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. At the same time, they worked constructively on federal legislation. “And that has proven successful.”
The East German Prime Minister used the beginning of the Second World War with Hitler’s Germany’s attack on Poland 85 years ago as an opportunity to promote strengthening relations with their eastern neighbor. Together with North Rhine-Westphalia and Schleswig-Holstein, they introduced a resolution that, among other things, calls for greater support for the German-Polish youth organization and more money for language lessons. The Weimar Triangle for cooperation between Germany, France and Poland is to be revived. “Let’s look at Europe through Warsaw glasses,” said Thuringia’s Prime Minister Bodo Ramelow (Left).
The most important decisions of the Federal Council:
More freedom in naming rights
There will be more freedom when choosing a surname from May 1, 2025. According to the law approved by the Federal Council, spouses are then allowed to have a common double name – with or without a hyphen. Children can have a double name even if their parents decide against a common married name. Currently, only one spouse can have a double name; children generally cannot. What’s also new is that the first family name that parents choose for a child will then also apply to all of the couple’s other children. If the parents do not initially specify a family name after the birth of their child, the child automatically receives a double name.
Easier to change gender entry
Transsexual, intersex and non-binary people in particular will breathe a sigh of relief – it will be much easier for them to have their gender entry and first name changed by the authorities in the future. All you need to do is make a declaration to the registry office. A court decision and two expert reports, which were previously required, will no longer be necessary in the future. Hamburg’s Deputy Prime Minister Katharina Fegebank (Greens) said in the Federal Council that the complex procedure that has been in place so far under the more than 40-year-old transsexual law was degrading. For many it is “a great day for a freer and more self-determined life.”
New procedure for climate protection assessment
The amendment to the Climate Protection Act approved by the State Chamber stipulates that in the future there should be a multi-year, cross-sectoral overall assessment of greenhouse gas emissions. This means that the previous sectoral approach no longer applies. This particularly pleases Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing (FDP), because the transport sector has so far regularly missed its targets. The amendment does not change the climate goals themselves. Germany should continue to be greenhouse gas neutral by 2045. In a resolution, the state chamber called for an obligation to make additional adjustments if Germany noticeably fails to meet its climate targets.
Corruption and bribery of members of parliament
The Criminal Code has a new criminal offense: improper representation of interests. This is about corruption and bribery of members of parliament. Officials who demand, promise or accept unjustified financial compensation for actions they take during their mandate can now face up to three years in prison. Anyone who promises or grants such financial compensation will be punished in the same way. The rules are a reaction to the mask scandals during the corona pandemic. They apply to the Bundestag, the state parliaments, the European Parliament and the members of the parliamentary assemblies of international organizations such as the Council of Europe.
Federal participation in daycare financing
In an approved development, the states called on the federal government to continue to finance better daycare quality beyond the current year. “The federal government must provide reliable support to the states and municipalities,” said Schleswig-Holstein’s Prime Minister Daniel Günther (CDU). It is a task for society as a whole. “The federal government must permanently pay for the standards that it wants and that it has had the states sign in bilateral agreements.” The problem for the states: As things currently stand, the federal government’s financial participation in the so-called Good Daycare Act will expire at the end of the year.
Criminal liability for political stalking
To protect local politicians in particular, the federal states want to create another new criminal offense: political stalking. By this they mean, for example, nightly torchlight parades in front of politicians’ houses, threatening letters and other attempts at intimidation. Saxony’s Justice Minister Katja Meier (Greens) said that handing out and receiving, especially in election campaigns, is part of the process for politicians. “What is completely unacceptable and what no one has to put up with are attempts at intimidation and threats that no longer have anything to do with the culture of political discussion.” The proposed law by the state of Saxony will now first be discussed in the committees of the Bundesrat.
Public viewing at the European Football Championship
Football fans can rejoice: nothing stands in the way of cheering on the national team in the open air after 10 p.m. when the men’s European Championship begins on June 14th. The state chamber approved a federal government regulation regulating noise protection issues. Municipalities can use this to approve public viewing events in market squares or parks, even if they go into the night. This affects the 26 of the 51 games in which kick-off does not take place until 9 p.m.