today we deal with the justice of Hartz IV, the mood of the coalition deputies and the rights of judges in Poland.
Sanctions for the unemployed?
Sebastian Gollnow / DPA
More in the SPIEGEL
Issue 45/2019
freedom of speech
About real and perceived boundaries of the wordDigital Edition | Printed Edition | Apps | SUBSCRIPTION
For the SPD, the subject of Hartz IV may be officially settled, the German justice sees something different: well 14 years after the entry into force of the labor market reform, the Federal Constitutional Court today pronounces a judgment on the legality of the sanctions, the Hartz IV recipients threaten if they Reject a job offer or a grant. They have to accept partly hefty deductions from the sum, which is supposed to legally represent only the bare subsistence minimum. Is that decent? The outcome of the case is difficult to predict.
Although the sanctions affect only three percent of Hartz IV recipients. For the legislator, they were nonetheless an important concern in 2005: the reform should promote and demand. Government aid should only be given to the unemployed, who are also looking for a job, or accept work that they may not feel like doing.
The basic question behind it is reminiscent of the current GroKo dispute over the means test for the basic pension: What may the state expect the citizens to whom he gives money? Well imaginable that the Karlsruhe judges are milder than many politicians. The Federal Constitutional Court has already collected some key points of the Hartz reforms.
- Comment on the Grand Coalition: Redeem the land, redeem yourself
The Chancellor appears
Shonal Ganguly / AP
Much has been complained in recent days about the invisible head of government. Where is Angela Merkel , why is she silent, when will she finally speak again? Well, my colleague Florian Gathmann and I know from a reliable source (in fact, as we know, the journalist is always the dearest source to himself): Angela Merkel will speak in SPIEGEL today. It's best to refresh our news page every 15 minutes, then you will not miss anything.
The Bundestag members of the CDU and CSU will also see the Chancellor in her group meeting today. It will be interesting to see if the people who worked so loudly over the past few days on their leadership style - looking at you, Mister Röttgen! - will be heard so loud again. Of course, more could go into the SPD faction, if the negotiators for the ground rent have to explain how it could happen that a compromise was postponed again. As a preparation you should read the report of my colleagues Florian Gathmann, Ralf Neukirch and Cornelia Schmergal.
- Tough GroKo dispute over retirement income for low-paid: the wound retiree
The freedom of the judges
Arne Immanuel Bänsch / DPA
Today, not only in Karlsruhe, but also in Luxembourg, an important verdict is passed: the European Court of Justice will decide whether to allow an element of Polish judicial reform , namely the lowering of the retirement age for judges in ordinary courts. One might think that judges do not mind not having to work to a ripe old age, but the reforms are not mildness but ugly political purposes.
For years, the impression is growing that the government in Warsaw is systematically undermining the rule of law and wants to force unpopular judges out of office. The EU has launched infringement procedures against Poland, and in a similar case, the ECJ has already passed a new age rule for Polish judges. Given the way in which justice is handled in Warsaw, one can only hope that an ECJ ruling will still have the necessary respect there.
Compared to this, Britain seems almost comfortingly stable in Brexit chaos . The institutions work, even if a British parliament without the eloquent former President John Bercow ("Order! Order!") Seems almost unimaginable. Today, the lower house will meet for the last time this year. New elections will be available in mid-December.
- New House President in the UK: New Order
Loser of the day ...
Owen Humphreys / DPA
... is the climate. After yesterday, a long-dead hero was our winner, it is only fitting if today is a natural event that can not be grasped with our hands, our loser. Yesterday late in the evening, US President Donald Trump quit the Paris Climate Agreement - which he had long explained orally, now also officially followed in writing. Whether he wants to distract the debate from the American trade figures that are announced today, and that should not be rosy given the US trade war with China?
Anyway, losers are strictly speaking all of us. Only one man in Bavaria should still be in a winning mood today: Markus Blume. He has been confirmed in the office of the CSU General Secretary despite all the prophecies of yesterday's "situation".
The compact news overview in the morning: current and opinionated. Every morning (weekdays) at 6 o'clock. Order directly here:
The latest news from the night
- Former US Ambassador to Kiev felt threatened by Trump's words : Marie Yovanovitch said at a hearing on the Ukrainian affair - US Democrats now released a transcript of their statement
- Turkey announces arrest of Baghdadi's sister : The Turkish army wants Rasmiya Awad arrested in Syria - and hopes for a "real gold mine of inside information"
- Heiko Maas supports Duo Klara Geywitz and Olaf Scholz in the race for SPD presidency : The Foreign Minister cited several reasons for this
The SPIEGEL + recommendations for today
- Government stingy on projects against extremism: too gentle against right
- Green roofs, cheap bus tickets, Heizpilz ban: what mayors are already doing to protect the climate
- A woman shakes Japan up: "One survives a rape not just once, but every day"
- Bicycle accident in Hamburg: The woman in Gaffervideo incidentally was me
I wish you a nice start to the day.
Best regards
Your Melanie Amann