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Facts and Findings

Selected contributions to the series with international relevance

Publications

Adobe Stock / STORYTELLER

East African Ports in the Geostrategic Scramble

Eyes on Tanzania’s Port Deal with Dubai

According to a report by consulting firm PwC, ports are responsible for 80 per cent of the world’s trade in goods by volume and 70 per cent by value. They can act as a key driver for economic growth.

Tilmann Feltes, Annika Schröder
October 30, 2023
Facts and Findings
Adobe Stock / Manuel Schönfeld

Human Dignity - New Challenges

Socio-political issues in the context of human dignity

The core issues of many political projects currently under discussion concern the inviolable dignity of the human person. This applies both to the recently enacted Self-Determination Act and to the government coalition's plan to regulate abortion outside the Criminal Code in the future. But in 2020, the Federal Constitutional Court also established the need for a new regulation of assisted suicide that is compatible with human dignity. How can human dignity be adequately taken into account in these borderline issues?

Klaus Mertes SJ
October 6, 2023
Facts and Findings

Stagnation instead of Growth

Why the Bundeswehr is not an attractive employer and how it can become one

The Bundeswehr must grow in terms of personnel in order to be able to meet the demands placed on it. Despite efforts, its goal of 203,000 active soldiers is a long way off. Why has the Bundeswehr so far failed to recruit and retain personnel and how can it become an attractive employer in the future and thus a guarantor of security for Germany and its allies?

Amelie Stelzner-Doğan, Patrick Taube
September 19, 2023
Facts and Findings
Adobe Stock / Marius

How much responsibility does the “Community of responsibility” hold?

Responsibility, but without legal protection in case of separation

According to the coalition agreement (2021-2025), the major reform of family law planned by the Federal government will include the new legal institution of the “Community of responsibility” (“Verantwortungsgemeinschaft”) for an unlimited number of persons. Its main characteristics will be the easy conclusion as well as quick separation. As the planning goes, the Community of responsibility will offer marriage-like tax privileges whilst avoiding any regulations  for the period after the separation to protect those individuals who have provided unpaid care or nursing.

Elisabeth Hoffmann
September 18, 2023
Facts and Findings
imago/Gemini Collection

They know what they are doing

Prostitution and the Nordic model from the point of view of the clients

Prostitution is one of the most controversial topics in society and politics, which is also reflected in the various legal regulations within and outside Europe. While prostitution is legal and regulated by law in Germany, in other countries it is completely prohibited or is in a legal gray area. The so-called Nordic Model is another way and consists, among other things, of the complete decriminalization of prostituted persons with simultaneous criminalization of all profiteers including the demand, i.e. the clients. This article deals with the experiences of clients in the German prostitution milieu, what they know about coercion and violence within prostitution, and whether they should be criminalized in Germany.

Kerstin Neuhaus
September 6, 2023
Facts and Findings
stock.adobe.com/Valerii Honcharuk

Der wissenschaftliche Nachwuchs braucht bessere Betreuung und Beratung

Interview mit Dr. Josef Lange: Wie kann jungen Wissenschaftlerinnen und Wissenschaftlern, den jeweiligen Forschungseinrichtungen und Forschungsstandort insgesamt geholfen werden?

Im Zusammenhang mit der geplanten Novellierung des Wissenschaftszeitvertragsgesetzes wird über bessere Rahmenbedingungen für Wissenschaftlerinnen und Wissenschaftlern in frühen Karrierephasen diskutiert. Eine entscheidende Rolle könnte eine bessere Personalpolitik der Hochschulen und außeruniversitären Forschungseinrichtungen spielen, die die Leistungsfähigkeit der jeweiligen Forschenden in den Blick nimmt, sie offen und ehrlich berät, und sie entsprechend unterstützt und fördert.

September 4, 2023
Facts and Findings
Jarama / Adobe Stock

Principles of Administrative Modernization

The German state is in need of a fundamental modernization of its public administration.

Germany needs a fundamental modernization of its public administration. Proposals to this end are legion, rarely differing in their goals, but often neglecting the multitude of veto players: decisions appear opaque, procedures lengthy, administration inefficient and the potential of digitalization lies idle. The discussion about administrative modernization is oftentimes used to project state criticism. What it could be, however, is a debate about the principles of state organization.

Marcel Schepp
August 11, 2023
Facts and Findings
Adobe Stock / Studio Romantic

From Marital Splitting to Family Splitting?

An Attempt to Rationalize the Debate

Marital splitting (tax brackets: Married Filing Jointly) was introduced in 1958 as a means of supporting families. But in the past 65 years, the realities of life for many families have changed dramatically. Today, the majority of marriages are childless and more than a third of all children are born out of wedlock. It is important to consider how families with children can be better supported. Family splitting is a model that has been mentioned again and again. However, a reform is only conceivable if it is cost-neutral in times of tight public coffers - and thus has winners and losers.

Christian Stadler
August 8, 2023
Facts and Findings
Corgarashu, stock.adobe.com

Between dialogue and resistance The conflict on the final word in the European judicial order

An analysis of current developments and conflicts between national constitutional courts and the European Court of Justice (ECJ)

Who has the final say on the question of the supremacy of European law? This question is explored in the following article, which builds on a lecture given at the Berlin Legal Policy Conference in October 2022. It examines a number of decisions of national supreme courts in recent years and, in particular, sheds light on the role of the Federal Constitutional Court (Bundesverfassungsgericht, BVerfG).

Narin Nosrati
July 17, 2023
Facts and Findings
Adobe-Stock / NDABCREATIVITY

Science is inherently competitive

Interview with Prof. Dr. Gregor Bucher: How can the framework conditions be improved through tenure track, permanent positions and funding?

Scientists are exposed to high performance pressure, especially in early career phases - and without reliable security for their living conditions. That is why they need better framework conditions and planning perspectives. These are in the interest of the scientists concerned, but also in the interest of the research institutions. Nevertheless, everyone must be aware that working in research always remains associated with a high level of competitive pressure, which requires a willingness to perform and an "affinity for risk".

Dr. Norbert Arnold
June 13, 2023
Facts and Findings

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About this series

The series informs in a concentrated form about important positions of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung on current topics. The individual issues present key findings and recommendations, offer brief analyses, explain the Foundation's further plans and name KAS contact persons.

 

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Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung e.V.