Our direction

Permits and planning have to become much simpler. They need a fixed deadline. Laws should be written so that people can understand and apply them. Digital should be built in from the start. The state sets the framework and doesn't regulate every single case. Fewer rules, more impact.

Security is the foundation of freedom, prosperity and trust. A state that cannot protect loses its legitimacy. That applies on the street in everyday life. But it also applies to power grids, data and computer systems. And it applies to the defence of our country and of Europe.

Energy follows a clear order. First, electricity has to flow securely and reliably. Then it has to be affordable. And it has to be sustainable in the long run. Energy should be sufficient and stable – and affordable.

Education is the most important thing a country has. It decides whether new technology leads to social mobility and whether integration succeeds. Nursery, school, vocational training, university and further education have to fit together like a ladder. Where a rung is missing, people fall out. Then skilled workers are missing, and society drifts apart. Learning should prepare people for what will be needed tomorrow.

Germany needs well-trained people who come here and pitch in. That requires clear procedures and consistent integration. Asylum and immigration are two different things. They have to be handled separately. Managing migration means securing the future.

You should be able to see who decides and who is responsible. And you should know how you can change something. Parliaments must effectively scrutinise the government and its spending. That applies in the municipality, the federal state, the federation and in Europe. Participation should be meant seriously, without blocking everything. Free media, a strong opposition and independent courts are part of it. If the state interferes with your freedom, it has to justify that. The interference must be proportionate, and a court must be able to review it. When tasks move to Europe, there must be clear responsibilities and real scrutiny. Democracy regains trust when it involves people audibly and delivers visibly.

Germany is a free, democratic country governed by the rule of law. It must never become communist or fascist. We oppose every form of tyranny. That applies to ideas in which the group is everything and the individual nothing. It applies to ethno-nationalist thinking, to plans for expropriation and enforced conformity, to personality cults and contempt for human beings. And it applies to political violence.

We oppose all extremism: from the right, from the left, religious or otherwise motivated. Antisemitism and racism have no place in our open society. The state must protect our free order with the means of the rule of law. Peaceful criticism is part of democracy, even when it is fundamental and uncomfortable.

Our yardstick is the dignity of every human being. That includes property, diversity of opinion and the separation of powers. It includes freedom of expression and equal rights for all. Tolerance applies to all who are tolerant themselves. Anyone who fights the open society cannot count on a naive state.

The state is independent of religions. It does not let itself be captured by any world view. It protects freedom of religion. It treats all peaceful faith communities that uphold the Basic Law equally. Our Christian-influenced culture gives nobody fewer rights. The state does not tolerate parallel systems alongside the law. If extremism attacks human dignity or our free order, the state must act clearly and decisively. Peaceful cultural differences are part of a free society.

Whether a state works, you notice at the doctor's and in care. You notice it with the ambulance service, at the corner shop, on buses and trains and with public services online. Health should not just manage illness and shortage. It should help you live a long, self-determined and active life. That applies especially in old age and to people with disabilities. That needs more prevention and support, and care that fits together seamlessly. And it needs reliable basic services in town and country that you can actually reach. Artificial intelligence and new technology can help and relieve staff. For that, they must be well integrated. That way Germany can even become a leader here.

Affordable housing is a bottleneck for many – in the city and in the countryside alike. Our approach: build faster and more simply, make better use of what exists, make a home of your own achievable, rents that fit people's lives, and make the countryside attractive again.

More on housing →

Excellence doesn't come from spreading money evenly. It comes where money, bright minds, research and drive come together. That's why Germany needs a few research centres that are visible worldwide. A Germany Fund should pool money for roads, networks, research and future fields. It serves German interests alone, even when it works with partners in Europe. For joint European projects there could also be a separate Europe Fund. Who controls it and who contributes what would have to be regulated separately.

The state should make new things possible, but not play entrepreneur itself. It provides rules, networks, spaces for experimenting and good conditions for investment. Innovation needs room to breathe, not paperwork.

Artificial intelligence and automation are not only changing industries. They are also changing work, school, public offices and the way we talk to each other in public. Anyone who sees this only as a matter for business creates progress for a few and insecurity for many. We want work to become more productive and social mobility to remain possible. Public offices should get better, and our public debate should stay strong. Technology must serve the whole country.

There are more and more older people and fewer younger people in work. That's why we have to become more productive and stay able to work for longer. We have to put more aside for the future and think carefully about what the state spends money on. Ongoing expenses must not be permanently shifted onto children and grandchildren. And anyone who keeps postponing necessary investment weakens the country too. Investing where the future is created and building reserves for bad times: these go together. Constantly spending more than you take in must not become normal.

Public money is not money without a sender. It comes from people and businesses, from neighbours, friends and families. Politics must not write cheques that others have to pay. It has to say who pays for a benefit and who bears the risk. Anyone who takes on debt has to say what it costs and what it brings. Because if a state can no longer pay, savers and investors can be hit in the end.

Anyone who works and saves should be able to build something: a home, a cushion, provision for old age. Property makes people free and independent. No generation may permanently spend more than the next one can bear.

Anyone who works should have noticeably more than someone living on benefits. Anyone who works more, takes on responsibility or learns new skills should visibly keep more of it. That applies from the minimum wage well into middle incomes. Full-time work must really pay off compared with part-time. More effort must not be almost eaten up again by taxes, contributions and lost benefits. The minimum wage protects against exploitation. But it must not make work so expensive that jobs disappear. And it must not level out differences in skill and responsibility.

Artificial intelligence and new technology make a lot of work faster. That can bring all of us more prosperity. But it must not be the case that a few generate more and more while many fall behind. Anyone who wants to achieve something will not be left alone. Not everyone is an entrepreneur, and suitable work isn't always available right away. Then help is needed: further training, support in moving into a new job, in becoming self-employed or in founding a company. The help builds on what you can already do. It depends on your situation and on how far you would otherwise fall. It should make a real fresh start possible, not just secure the bare minimum. The dignity of every human being always applies, no matter what they earn.

Cohesion doesn't come from nice words. It comes from fair rules, fairly shared burdens and real opportunities. Without them, divides grow: between town and country, young and old, locals and immigrants. And between those who contribute a lot and those who receive help. Politics has to address these tensions and resolve them instead of talking them away. Nobody should permanently feel like a loser or worth less.

Family comes first for us. After that, we strengthen every community in which people reliably stand up for one another. That shows in raising children, in caring, in everyday life and in crises. The state should support this. Anyone who takes responsibility for others should benefit from it. That brings more closeness and less bureaucracy. The state has to step in less often itself. That lowers costs and keeps the state's power limited. Where families and communities are overwhelmed, the state continues to help.

A free society reliably protects minorities in their rights and dignity. But it does not elevate them as symbols. And small groups should not permanently get more power to decide or block than corresponds to their size.

For us, equality means equal opportunities, equal respect and equal access to education, jobs and responsibility. We don't want rigid state quotas that ignore suitability and performance. What matters is that the best-suited people are in the right place. Where groups are missing, better support and training help. Lower standards don't.

Cohesion comes about when differences are fairly regulated and opportunities are genuinely shared.

Different opinions are part of Europe. We have to fend off targeted attempts to divide Europe. Legitimate criticism and the distinct character of each country are not suppressed in the process. Who contributes what and who gets what out of it must be decided transparently. Large countries bear more responsibility. Small countries must have a real say.

Our state is built in levels: municipality, region, federal state, federation. In the medium term, Europe should become the top level. Where acting together is clearly better, Europe should decide. That applies above all to defence, a common market for money and capital, competition and the supply of vital goods. There, elected representatives decide, and parliaments scrutinise them. Everything else is regulated as close to people as possible. Every competence Europe has must be justified and reviewed regularly. What Europe can't do better goes back down.

When it comes to vital goods, technology and industry, Europe must not be open to blackmail. That requires its own development and production and reliable networks. Add to that reserves, recycling, substitutes and several reliable suppliers. Where outages would really endanger us, we plan economy, research, production and money together. A possible Europe Fund can help with this. The Germany Fund remains committed to German interests alone.

Europe should preserve its values, languages and cultures and protect the freedom of every individual. That requires free elections, open debates, independent courts and a government that is held to account. Decisions in Europe must be understandable, and you must be able to influence them. Anyone who hands responsibility to Europe must not leave a gap in accountability.

Towards the outside world, Europe should speak with one voice. Germany helps to find common positions and to stand by them reliably. Step by step, Europe should take on this task for all EU states. How democratic a country is helps decide whether we see it more as a partner or as a rival. We treat all countries with respect. We work in alliances, trade and take part in international organisations when that benefits Europe. We represent Europe's interests clearly and on the basis of our shared values. In doing so, we lecture no one. What counts are the consequences for security, prosperity and freedom in Europe.