FDP on other topics

The FDP rejects blanket bans such as the dancing ban on Good Friday. It wants to talk with the churches and society about how public holidays should be arranged in the future and find a lasting solution.

On some holidays dancing is banned, for example on Good Friday. The FDP is against such general bans. It wants to talk with the churches and society about this. The goal is a solution that lasts.

The program acknowledges the civic engagement of the Christian churches and the importance of Christianity for society. The dialogue is to cover the extent of dancing bans and similar restrictions on quiet holidays. The law concerned is Hesse's public holiday act.

The FDP wants people to decide for themselves what happens to their ashes after cremation. Urns could be kept at home during the year of mourning, and municipalities could designate places for scattering ashes.

Everyone should decide what happens to their own ashes. Relatives should be allowed to keep the urn at home for one year. Towns should be able to set places for scattering ashes. Most urns should still rest in a fixed place.

According to the program, this self-determination applies as long as it places no burden on others without their consent. Burial in a traceable and accessible place remains the norm. Exceptions to the cemetery requirement for urns, which the FDP considers constitutionally required, are to become possible in practice.

The FDP wants to support sports clubs with funding programs and relieve volunteers through higher tax-free allowances and less red tape. The program describes clubs as a foundation for community life and local integration.

Sports clubs should get more help from the state. People who volunteer in clubs should keep more money tax-free. There should be less paperwork. Young volunteers should get some benefits.

Plans include a training drive for coaches, competition officials and referees, plus easier access to digital tools for clubs. Following Schleswig-Holstein's example, the volunteer card would be applied for automatically together with the Juleica (youth leader card). Volunteer experience should count in applications for training and university places and could extend the period of BAföG (student aid). The programs "Sport integriert Hessen" and "Modellregion – Inklusion und Sport" are to be continued or expanded. For club-owned sports facilities, the state would normally cover 30 percent of costs.

The FDP wants no swimming pools to be closed and every child to be able to swim by the end of elementary school. It sees the state as responsible, arguing that swimming is a basic skill vital for survival.

Swimming pools should not close. Every child should be able to swim after elementary school. The state should make sure of this. There should still be money for pools.

A simple procedure, such as awarding the "Seepferdchen" (beginner's swimming badge), is meant to ensure that all elementary school children learn to swim. The five-year SWIM program, which subsidizes pool renovation and construction, is to continue. The FDP also wants to invest more in renovating club sports facilities and public pools and to have clubs' funding applications processed quickly.

The FDP relies on informed, responsible consumers and wants transparent markets, stronger consumer rights especially online, and more consumer education. The Verbraucherzentrale Hessen (consumer advice center) is to be adequately funded, and economic education is to grow in all types of schools.

The FDP wants consumers to make good choices themselves. For that they need knowledge about money and the economy. Schools should teach more of this. The consumer advice center should get enough money.

In the platform's view, weak economic education raises the risk of subscription and debt traps, unnecessary insurance and dubious financial brokers. Against cybercrime such as phishing or identity theft, the FDP wants to direct more money at state and federal level into the IT of law enforcement agencies. The consumer advice center is to be able to keep offering advice statewide and expand its digital services.

The FDP wants to set up a fund that helps municipalities buy and sell vacant properties. Rural towns should also cooperate more closely and actively attract doctors, female founders and women in the liberal professions.

In some villages many houses stand empty. The FDP wants to create a pot of money for this. Towns can use it to buy and sell empty land. Towns should also work together more. Women with their own business or practice should get help.

For the fund, the remit of the Hessische Landgesellschaft (HLG, the state land agency) would be widened. Regional development alliances would share administrative tasks, especially IT, and jointly build commercial zones, indoor pools, sports and cultural venues. State planning and funding programs would be adjusted so rural places can keep workers and attract newcomers. The FDP wants more doctors overall and guaranteed emergency services across the state. Female entrepreneurs, doctors, lawyers and freelancers would get start-up aid and childcare close to work.