Volker Kauder

Volker Kauder

Volker Kauder (born 3 September 1949 in Hoffenheim) is a German CDU politician. He finisched school in 1969 in Singen. He became a member of Junge Union in the age of 17, 1991 he became Secretary General of Baden-Würtemberg CDU until the retreat of Erwin Teufel 2005. He changed to Berlin and became Secretary General of the CDU in 2005 for most of the year. At 21 November 2005 he changed his office and was elected as Chairman of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group in the Bundestag. He has been a member of parliament since 1990. Kauder is frequently referred to as the "right hand" of Angela Merkel and is one of the most prominent politicians of his party and one with the most influence.^[1][2] Most of his elections within his party he won with overwhelming majorities.

Political standpoints

Gay Marriage

In an interview with the German Frankfurter Rundschau in December 2010, he argued against the right of adoption for homosexual couples, his reasoning being that he doesn't "believe that children would like to get raised in a homosexual partnership".^[3] His position regarding this topic was explained by several German media outlets with his closeness to the evangelical organisation Deutsche Evangelische Allianz.^[4]

After the ruling of the German constitutional court on May 2013 ^[5] regarding tax benefits for married couples, Kauder expressed that with his party, there won't be an equality of traditionally married couples and homosexual partnerships.^[6]

Sex and the Law

In September 2013 Claudia Roth of the green party criticized Kauder for his voting against the criminal liability of rape within a marriage in 1997.^[7]

Corruption

Kauder has voted no on proposals against parliamental corruption. He did so again in Spring 2013.^[8]

Weapons exports

Volker Kauder has been criticised for supporting exports of the Germany company Heckler & Koch and for helping with the handling of order. The newspaper Die Zeit names Kauder a heavy supporter ^[9]

Religion

Kauder is strictly against recognising Islam as an equal religion within Germany. In an interview with Der Spiegel Kauder replied to the question if Islam is a part of Germany with: "No, Muslims are a part of Germany, Islam is not."^[10]

In response to increasing numbers of people leaving organised religion, Kauder also criticized the churches in Germany for not proselytizing enough.^[11]

Data Protection

Kauder did not want a publicly accessible investigation into the claims of US surveillance of chancelour Merkel's mobile phone, insisting that only a secretly operating committee can effectively handle the issue.^[12]

References

1. ↑ Merkels rechte Hand Merkels right hand, article in focus online of 22. of December 2004.
2. ↑ Portrait on n-tv
3. ↑ „„Kinder wollen keine homosexuellen Eltern““ in Frankfurter Rundschau online, 19. December 2010, last accessed on 21. Dezember 2010
4. ↑ Laizismus in Deutschland Die religiöse Zumutung, taz.de, 21. December 2010
5. ↑ http://www.bverfg.de/entscheidungen/rs20130507_2bvr090906.html
6. ↑ http://mobil.stern.de/politik/deutschland/nach-bvg-urteil-union-will-steuerliche-gleichbehandlung-fuer-homo-paare-2021874.html
7. ↑ FAZ: Roth wirft Union Scheinheiligkeit vor, from 17. September 2013
8. ↑ Gesetz gegen Abgeordneten-Korruption: Ausgebremst vom eigenen Bruder, by Robert Roßmann, Süddeutsche, 8. April 2013
9. ↑ Artikel „Planet der Waffen“ in Die Zeit, Nr.19 from 3. Mai 2007, Page .17, 18 and 20 by Alexander Bühler and Kerstin Kohlenberg.
10. ↑ Template:Der Spiegel
11. ↑ Sinkende Mitgliederzahlen Kauder liest Kirchen die Leviten, sueddeutsche.de, 24. August 2011
12. ↑ http://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/union-lehnt-untersuchungsausschuss-zu-nsa-spaehskandal-ab-a-930127.html

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Volker Kauder.

• Official website (German)
• Biography on the German Bundestag website (German)