The Limited Times

Now you can see non-English news...

Birthday mail from the Prime Minister: Söder wants to congratulate all 18-year-olds

2019-11-29T13:14:13.704Z


Anyone who comes of age in Bavaria, according to SPIEGEL information will in future receive an official congratulatory letter from the Prime Minister. The opposition criticizes the abuse of the state apparatus for self-expression.



In Bavaria, young people will receive a congratulatory letter with the signature of the Prime Minister on their 18th birthday. According to SPIEGEL information, the government of Markus Söder (CSU), from April 1, 2020 plans to supplement the list of honorary days, which so far only seniors were considered, accordingly.

"Especially in times of fragile international democratic structures, it is important to introduce citizens who have come of age to processes in parliamentary democracy," said the State Chancellery in Munich.

In addition to the 200,000 letters sent so far each year, 120,000 are to be added in the future, for which the ministerials estimate additional material costs of 100,000 euros per year. The processing takes over the state office for finances, it receives for it data from the institute for municipal data processing. "Contradiction by the citizens is of course possible," said the State Chancellery.

Green parliamentarian Claudia Köhler, who has asked a parliamentary question on the subject, criticized that the state apparatus for self-expression abused and taxpayers were wasted.

Already last year, the state government lowered the minimum age limit for writing on old-age anniversaries from 95 to 80, thereby extending the circle of recipients. Now comes to the 80th, 85th, 90th, 95th, 100th and every other birthday. Married couples are honored from the 60th wedding anniversary.

The tradition of congratulatory letters has existed in Bavaria since 1950, when it was introduced by then-Prime Minister Hans Ehard. Some other states also congratulate jubilees by letter.

This topic comes from the new SPIEGEL magazine - available at the kiosk from Saturday morning and every Friday at SPIEGEL + and in the digital magazine edition.

What is in the new SPIEGEL and what stories you find at SPIEGEL +, you will also learn in our free policy newsletter DIE LAGE, which appears six times a week - compact, analytical, opinionated, written by the political minds of the editorial.

Source: spiegel

All news articles on 2019-11-29

You may like

Trends 24h

News/Politics 2024-03-28T06:04:53.137Z

Latest

© Communities 2019 - Privacy

The information on this site is from external sources that are not under our control.
The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.