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Survey: Almost two-thirds for compulsory social service
According to a survey, a majority of people in Germany are in favor of compulsory social service. photo
© Fernando Gutierrez-Juarez/dpa-Zentralbild/dpa
According to a survey, a majority of people in this country believe that a mandatory year of society could have a positive effect. The topic is also on the agenda at the CDU party conference.
According to a survey, almost two thirds of the people in Germany are in favor of compulsory social service. In a representative survey by the opinion research institute Insa, 65 percent of those questioned were in favor of a mandatory year of society, as reported by the “Bild-Zeitung”. 21 percent were against it and 14 percent gave no answer or answered “don’t know”.
A majority of respondents therefore believe that such a service would have a positive impact on social cohesion. According to the survey, voters from all parties approve of the idea – although it is more popular with older people than younger people: 49 percent of the youngest respondents (aged 18 to 29) were in favor of compulsory service, while 49 percent of the oldest respondents (aged 70 and over) years), the approval rate was 81 percent.
The debate about the so-called compulsory service was initiated in June by Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. He argued that compulsory social service could strengthen the community. The topic should also be on the agenda at the CDU federal party conference in Hanover, which begins on Friday.