The German Bundesrat has passed several major legislative measures covering asylum procedures, military service reforms, the federal budget, and pension policy. These laws represent significant steps in shaping Germany’s domestic policies and will have wide-ranging impacts for citizens, institutions, and government operations in the coming years.
The Bundesrat has approved a new regulation regarding “safe countries of origin,” aimed at accelerating asylum procedures. Under the law, the government can now designate a country as safe through an ordinance, without needing additional approval from the Bundesrat. This designation applies solely to applications for protection under the Geneva Refugee Convention or subsidiary protection, and not to standard asylum requests.
The law allows applications from individuals from these countries to be rejected as “manifestly unfounded” unless the applicants can prove otherwise. The regulation is intended to signal to people from designated states that their applications for protection in Germany have little chance of success, thereby speeding up the processing of asylum cases. Additionally, the law removes a previous requirement introduced by the coalition government that individuals facing deportation or detention be provided with a lawyer.
According to the asylum law, safe countries of origin are defined as countries where, considering the general situation, persecution, torture, or serious threats are unlikely. The Bundestag passed the regulation in early December, although it faced heavy criticism from refugee organizations such as Pro Asyl.
Bundesrat approved the law for a new military service in Germany. The upper house of parliament approved Defense Minister Boris Pistorius' (SPD) plans to reintroduce military registration and compulsory medical examinations. The aim is to increase the number of personnel in the armed forces, but the decision to join the military service will remain voluntary.
The law stipulates that in future, all 18-year-old Germans will receive a questionnaire on their motivation and suitability for the Bundeswehr. Men must fill it out, while for women it is voluntary. In addition, all men born in 2008 or later will have to undergo medical examinations in future, while for women this will also remain voluntary. However, if the planned personnel targets are not achieved in the coming years, compulsory service could also be introduced. This would have to be decided again by parliament.
The background to the reform is new NATO requirements in view of the increased threat from Russia. According to these requirements, Germany must be able to provide around 460,000 soldiers in the event of a crisis or war by 2035. Pistorius wants to increase the Bundeswehr from its current strength of around 184,000 to around 260,000 active soldiers. The number of reservists is also to be more than doubled to 200,000.
The Bundesrat approved the federal budget for the coming year, endorsing total expenditures of €524.54 billion. The budget includes a net borrowing of nearly €98 billion, much of which is exempt from the constitutional debt brake. The largest portion, approximately €128 billion, is allocated to pensions, while the defense ministry sees the most significant increase, rising by one-third to €82.65 billion. Planned investments exceed €128 billion and are directed toward transport infrastructure, education, childcare, and internal and external security.
The Bundesrat also cleared the way for the long-debated pension reform package proposed by the black-red coalition. The legislation maintains the pension level safeguard at 48%, expands the Mütterrente for mothers, and introduces the Aktivrente, allowing retirees to earn up to €2,000 per month tax-free. The reform also strengthens occupational pensions. Once signed by the Federal President, the law will enter into effect on January 1.
From breaking news to thought-provoking opinion pieces, our newsletter keeps you informed & engaged.
