CDU on equality and diversity

The CDU commits to an inclusive society in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It wants to expand accessibility and make it easier for people with disabilities to enter the regular job market.

The CDU wants people with disabilities to take part everywhere. There should be fewer barriers. For example, on buses and streets. Certificates from sheltered workshops should count with employers.

Living conditions for people with disabilities would be improved in close consultation with advocacy groups. Municipalities would get support for accessibility in public spaces and public transit. A standardized certificate would be introduced for vocational training in sheltered workshops for people with disabilities. Its recognition on the regular job market would be coordinated with the chambers of commerce and crafts.

The CDU wants to make it binding that public administration, schools, universities, and public broadcasting do not use gender-inclusive special characters. It cites the rules of the Council for German Orthography and what it describes as majority public opinion.

Some people write words with stars to include all genders. This is called gendering. The CDU wants to stop this in government offices. Schools, universities and public broadcasters should also stop it. But grades must not depend on it.

The state would stop using gender-inclusive language in administrative writing statewide. The rule would be written down for administration, schools, universities, and broadcasting. In schools and universities, the form of gendered address a student chooses must not affect grades. The CDU argues that respect cannot be achieved through coercion and that language should follow the orthography council's rules.