FDP on democracy and the state

The FDP wants to make courts more digital, test AI in the justice system and allow online proceedings. The criminal code would be reviewed and outdated offenses removed. Riding public transit without a ticket would become a mere administrative offense.

The FDP wants more digital courts. Some cases should run online. Old criminal rules should go. Riding without a ticket should no longer be a crime. There would only be a fine.

AI would be used in the justice system without replacing judges' decisions; rulings would be made available as training data. The platform names the provisions on leaving the scene of an accident and on obtaining services by deception as outdated. Criminal trials would be recorded and automatically transcribed. Rulings would appear in anonymized form in a public database. Legal tech companies would get clear rules, the professional secrecy of lawyers and notaries would stay protected, and legal training would be reformed.

The FDP wants to turn the law on church-state relations into a body of law that applies equally to all religious communities. The state payments to the churches would be ended through a settlement. Islamic associations would be reviewed to determine whether they can be partners of the state.

The FDP wants the same rules for all religions. The state still pays the churches money under old agreements. These payments should end. The FDP wants to check Islamic associations closely. More imams should be trained in Germany.

The equal legal basis would apply to communities that accept the principle of equality, religious diversity, fundamental rights and their members' self-determination. Associations that play down Islamism or do not condemn antisemitism would be ruled out as partners. The Islam Conference would be reformed. More imams and Islamic religion teachers would be trained at German universities to end dependence on imams sent from abroad. Islamic religious instruction would take place free of influence from Islamist or foreign-controlled organizations.

The FDP wants to relieve clubs and associations of red tape and liability risks and strengthen sports as a task for society. It rejects general compulsory service as a serious intrusion on freedom and relies on voluntary service instead.

The FDP wants to make work easier for clubs. They should have less paperwork. Big sports events like the Olympics should come back to Germany. The FDP rejects mandatory service for young people.

Record-keeping and retention duties are to be reduced, tax and registry procedures digitized, and a central guide is to lead clubs through all requirements. The FDP wants to adjust the tax-free allowances for trainers and volunteers as well as income thresholds. The Bundesjugendspiele (national school sports competition) are to stay and be supplemented by the German Sports Badge; Olympic and Paralympic Games are to come to Germany under certain conditions, and esports is to be recognized as charitable. Instead of a compulsory year of service, the party wants voluntary services to be more attractive and career-oriented.

The FDP calls for a Bundestag committee of inquiry into the COVID pandemic. It is to examine failures and what the party regards as excessive restrictions on fundamental rights, and to make recommendations for future crises.

The FDP wants a close look at the COVID years. A committee in parliament should do this. It should uncover mistakes. It should also give advice for later crises.

According to the platform, the pandemic hit the health system unprepared. Shortcomings, a lack of preparation and overly far-reaching restrictions on fundamental rights are said to have badly damaged trust in institutions. An orderly parliamentary procedure is to provide transparency and deliver recommendations for action.

The FDP wants to review all responsibilities and administrative processes of the federal government, states and municipalities and then reform federalism. The aim is a leaner state with clear responsibilities.

The FDP wants to check who does what in the state. Many offices do similar tasks today. After that, the federal government and the states should divide their tasks anew. The state should become smaller and work better.

The platform calls this review a general inventory and criticizes that too many agencies overlap at all levels. Priority goes to finance, education, internal security, civil protection and disaster relief, migration and digitalization. Tax revenue is to be divided between the federal government and the states so that the federal level can afford its co-financing of state tasks. As a rule, federal spending is to be limited more strictly to genuinely federal tasks.

The FDP wants a new commission to sort out the financial relations between the federal government and the states. The platform argues that strong federalism needs clear responsibilities and accountability.

The federal government and the states share tasks and money. The FDP wants a new commission for this. A commission is a group of experts and politicians. It should make clear who pays and who decides.

The platform calls for a new commission on fiscal federalism and says the party will push for it to be established. The federal government should co-fund state tasks only in exceptional cases. If tasks are shifted between the federal level and the states, the FDP wants the flow of money to change accordingly.

The FDP wants fewer federal ministries, agencies, commissioners and state secretaries, and significantly fewer positions in the federal administration. In its view this saves taxpayer money and makes government more efficient.

The FDP wants a smaller government. There should be fewer ministries and agencies. The number of federal jobs should go down too. The FDP says this saves taxpayers' money.

The number of government commissioners would be cut and kept low through a "one in, one out" rule; the number of state secretaries would also be capped. The development ministry would merge with the Foreign Office, and the construction ministry would be folded into another ministry. Outside the security agencies, staff positions would be reduced significantly. Inside ministries, layers such as sub-department heads would be removed. For subordinate agencies, the platform cites abolishing or restructuring the Federal Environment Agency as an example.

The FDP wants more flexible civil service rules and wants performance in public administration to be measured and rewarded more. According to the platform, administration should serve citizens and enable rather than refuse.

The FDP wants to change how public offices work. Good performance should count more. Citizens' satisfaction should be part of staff reviews. Experts should be able to move up more easily.

Civil servants would be able to gain experience outside the administration, and in some cases this would be required. So-called expert tracks would let specialists be promoted without leaving their field. The plan includes a uniform evaluation system, performance indicators and binding target agreements. Discretion and personal responsibility would be strengthened at all levels. The platform cites the innovation agency SPRIND, which may hire specialists on terms closer to market rates, as a model.