Saxony's Minister President Michael Kretschmer is calling for referendums on the stationing of large-scale US weapons systems in Germany and possible compulsory military service. In an interview with Die Welt, the CDU politician described the planned deployments from 2026 as "absolutely right". "What I think is wrong, however, is that these weapons are now to be deployed without any debate," Kretschmer emphasized.
A discussion about a return to compulsory military service or compulsory service is also necessary. "This also needs to be discussed and decided. I would ask the Germans about this," said the Minister President. The result of the referendum should then be implemented by the federal government.
Pistorius backs new military service model
On the fringes of a NATO summit, the US government and the German government announced in July that the USA wanted to station weapons systems in Germany again from 2026 onwards that would reach as far as Russia. In order to make the Bundeswehr more resilient, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) is focusing on a new military service model with a basic military service of six months, an option for an additional voluntary military service of up to an additional 17 months and a mandatory registration in which young men must declare their willingness and ability to perform military service - young women can do this voluntarily.
Kretschmer, who is currently campaigning for the state elections on September 1, also called for a fundamental change of course in migration policy from the traffic light coalition in Berlin. People without grounds for asylum or criminals should be returned to their home countries as quickly as possible, including Syria and Afghanistan. To this end, the German government must also hold talks with the Taliban or Syria's ruler Bashar al-Assad. "The aim must be to reduce the number of immigrants from the current 300,000 to 50,000 or 30,000 per year," said Kretschmer.
Copyright 2024, dpa (www.dpa.de). All rights reserved
