What do the parties say on Europe?

The AfD wants Germany to leave the euro system and reintroduce its own currency. It considers the euro a flawed construction whose rules on debt and liability are constantly broken, mostly at Germany's expense.

The AfD wants Germany to leave the euro. Germany should have its own money again. The AfD says the euro rules are broken all the time. In its view, Germany pays for other countries' debts.

The AfD rejects both a right for the EU to levy its own taxes and borrowing by the EU; debt should exist only at the national level. It also wants the ECB to stop its interventions in the capital market, such as bond purchases.

The AfD does not want the EU to collect its own taxes. The EU should not take on its own debt either. Only the individual countries should borrow money. The European Central Bank should stop buying government bonds. Bonds are IOUs from states or companies.

The AfD opposes a common European deposit insurance system. German banks should be liable only at the national level and keep their own protection schemes. The party fears that German savers would otherwise have to cover risky banks in other countries.

The EU plans a shared safety net for savings in banks. The AfD is against it. It says German savers would pay for weak banks abroad. German banks should only be liable inside Germany. Local savings banks should keep their own safety net.

The AfD wants to transform the European Union into a newly founded "Bund europäischer Nationen" (league of European nations), in which sovereign states cooperate only on a few shared interests. All other powers would return to the nation-states. In the party's view, the EU has developed into a centralized federal state.

The AfD wants to replace the EU with a new league. It would be called the league of European nations. Countries would decide for themselves there. They would work together on only a few issues. Germany should pay less.

The BSW wants to hand powers back from the EU to the member states and rejects a European federal state. The EU should confine itself to core tasks that individual countries can hardly handle alone, and should mediate for peace rather than become a party to war.

The BSW wants less power for the EU. Countries should decide more for themselves. The EU should have only a few key tasks. For example, it should fight tax havens. The EU should work for peace.

The BSW wants the EU to admit no further countries, Ukraine included. The party justifies this with the costs that Ukrainian membership would mean for German taxpayers.

The BSW wants no new countries in the EU. That goes for Ukraine too. The party says Ukraine joining would cost Germany a lot.

The CDU and the CSU want clear progress on admitting the Western Balkan states to the EU without loosening the accession criteria. They see membership as being in Germany's economic and security interest. For Belarus, they want to support the democracy movement.

The CDU and the CSU want the Western Balkan countries to join the EU. The rules for joining stay just as strict. In Belarus, the parties want to support the democracy movement.

The CDU and the CSU want the EU to limit itself to tasks with European added value and drop dispensable ones. They call for less EU bureaucracy and more competitiveness. At the same time, reforms are to make the EU more capable of acting and more respectful of subsidiarity.

The CDU and the CSU want an EU with clear priorities. The EU should only handle what it does better than single countries. There should be less red tape from Europe. The EU should also be able to act faster.

The CDU and the CSU want EU accession tied more closely to candidates' actual progress, without loosening the criteria. For countries that do not yet meet every requirement, they propose intermediate stages. Relations with neighboring states are to be reset.

The CDU and the CSU want new countries to join the EU. But these countries must meet all conditions. There should be in-between steps on the way. The parties say Turkey cannot join right now.

The CDU and the CSU reject Germany being liable for the debts of other countries. The European debt rules are to remain binding, with violations penalized automatically. For crises, the parties call for an insolvency framework for member states.

The CDU and the CSU do not want to pay for other countries' debts. The debt rules in Europe should apply strictly. Countries that break them should be punished automatically. There should be fixed rules for states that go bankrupt.

The FDP wants EU directives transposed one-to-one only and wants several Green Deal rule sets abolished entirely. In its view these rules add no climate protection but overburden small and medium-sized firms in particular.

The FDP says too many rules come from the EU. Germany should not make EU rules even stricter. Several EU rules on environmental reports should go away completely. This should ease the load on companies.

The FDP wants to make the EU more capable and independent through institutional reform. This includes a smaller Commission, a right of initiative for the European Parliament and qualified majority voting in foreign and security policy.

The FDP wants to change the EU. In foreign policy, a large majority should be enough. Today all countries must agree. The EU Parliament should be allowed to propose laws itself. The EU Commission should get smaller.

The FDP supports EU accession for the Western Balkan states, Moldova and Ukraine if they meet the Copenhagen criteria. It wants to end accession talks with Turkey in their current form because, in its view, the country does not meet the requirements.

The FDP wants new countries to join the EU. These include Ukraine, Moldova and Balkan countries. They must meet fixed rules. The FDP no longer wants to hold talks with Turkey the way it is done now.

The Free Voters reject shared debt among EU states. The EU should once again be barred from borrowing. The debt created through the recovery fund should end as quickly as possible.

The EU took on shared debt for an aid fund. The Free Voters want to end this. The EU should no longer be allowed to take on its own debt. Countries should not be liable for the debts of others.

The Free Voters want to deepen EU cooperation with its neighboring regions and promote reforms toward democracy, the rule of law and a market economy there. Accession negotiations with Turkey, by contrast, are to end for good. The platform names a privileged partnership as the new goal.

The EU should work more closely with its neighbor countries. It should promote democracy and the rule of law there. Turkey should not join the EU. The talks about joining should end forever. There should be a special partnership instead.

The Greens want to strengthen the European single market and add a deeper digital union and a common market for research and innovation. In the platform's view, Europe can only compete with the US and China through more cooperation.

The Greens want more teamwork in Europe. The EU's shared market should get stronger. Countries should also work more closely on digital matters and research. This should help Europe keep up with the US and China.

The Greens want to quickly complete the European capital markets and banking union and set up a strong EU supervisor for capital markets. According to the platform, inconsistent national rules hold back investment and make financing harder for companies.

In the EU, each country has its own rules for money markets. The Greens want shared rules for all of Europe. A strong EU office would watch over the markets. This should help companies get money more easily.

The Greens reject permanent fixed checks at borders within the EU, citing freedom of movement and the single market. Instead, the external borders are to be controlled under the rule of law and arrivals reliably registered, increasingly by European officers.

In Europe people can travel freely across borders. The Greens do not want constant checks there. Checks should take place at the EU's outer borders. The border agency Frontex should be watched more closely.

The Greens want violations of the EU's basic values by member states to have consequences. In the rule-of-law procedure under Article 7, a qualified majority should be enough at every stage. EU funds are to be tied more closely to democracy and the rule of law.

Some EU countries do not follow the rules of democracy. The Greens want this to have consequences. The EU should be able to decide on this more easily. Such countries should get less EU money.

The Greens want to give the European Parliament the right to propose laws itself. It should also decide on equal footing with the Council in all policy areas. According to the platform, the goal is an EU that is closer to citizens and more democratic.

Today the European Parliament cannot propose its own laws. The Greens want to change that. Parliament should have a say in every area. Citizens should have more of a voice in the EU.

The Greens want to enlarge the EU to stabilize its neighborhood and secure peace, freedom and prosperity in Europe. They back accession for the Western Balkan states, Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia, provided the criteria are met. In parallel, the EU is to be reformed so it can act more effectively.

Several countries want to join the EU. These include Ukraine and countries in the Balkans. The Greens support this. But the countries must meet the EU's rules.

The Greens want an EU constitutional convention to be convened, because several of their reform proposals require treaty changes. Their long-term vision is a Federal European Republic with its own constitution. Unanimous decisions are to be replaced by majority votes.

The Greens want to rebuild the EU. They want a constitutional convention. That is a meeting that writes new basic rules for the EU. In the end, the EU should be one federal state with its own constitution.

The Greens want a larger EU financial framework and new revenue sources of the EU's own. The money is to go more strongly into innovation, infrastructure and the climate-neutral transformation of the economy. The platform says joint European bonds have proven their worth.

The Greens want the EU to get more money. The EU should also have new income of its own. The money should go to new technology, roads and networks, and climate protection. The Greens think shared debt of EU countries is useful for this.

The Left wants to place the European Central Bank under the oversight of the European Parliament and expand its mandate to include full employment and sustainable development. In the platform's view, the ECB failed in recent crises because rate hikes did not stop inflation and slowed investment.

The ECB is the central bank for the euro. The Left wants the European Parliament to oversee it. The Parliament would elect the ECB's leaders. The ECB should also care about jobs. It should be allowed to give money directly to states.

The Left wants a more social EU and large-scale public investment, for which European deficit and debt rules would be changed. In the long run it seeks new EU treaties because, in its view, the current ones limit fundamental reform.

The EU has strict rules on debt. The Left wants to loosen these rules. Then countries can put more money into education, health and climate protection. The Left also wants new treaties for the EU. The EU should become more social.

The Left wants to give the European Parliament the right to propose legislation itself and to hand it the fundamental decisions. It also wants citizens' initiatives and referendums to be possible at EU level.

Today the EU Parliament cannot propose its own laws. The Left wants to change that. Parliament should decide the important matters. People in the EU should also be able to vote on issues themselves.

The Left opposes further rearmament of the EU and the militarization of its external borders. The border agency Frontex would become a rescue mission, and the party rejects deals designed to keep refugees out.

The Left wants no further arms buildup in the EU. The EU's borders should not be secured by military means. Today Frontex guards the EU's borders. The Left wants Frontex to rescue people in distress instead.

The PdF wants a clear division of tasks between the EU and member states. The EU would handle cross-border issues, while nation states would handle matters that depend on local conditions.

The PdF wants clear tasks for the EU and for the countries. The EU should handle big shared issues. These include climate protection and defense. The countries should decide their own issues, such as the retirement age.

The PdF wants to give the European Parliament its own right to initiate legislation and have the head of the Commission elected directly. According to the platform, this would increase the EU's democratic legitimacy.

The PdF wants to make the EU Parliament stronger. The Parliament should be able to propose laws itself. Citizens should elect the head of the EU Commission directly. Small parties should get better chances.

The PdF wants a single election day across the EU that is a day off work, along with less bureaucratic voting procedures. In addition, the political weight of member states would be based more on objective criteria.

The PdF wants one shared election day across the EU. People should have that day off. Everyone should get mail-in ballots automatically. Parties should be able to collect signatures digitally too.

The PdF wants to speed up ongoing EU accession processes and give candidate countries binding prospects. To keep a larger EU able to act, majority voting would apply in selected areas.

The PdF wants new countries to join the EU faster. These countries must meet rule-of-law standards. The EU should also decide by majority more often. Then a single country can no longer block decisions.

The PdF wants to stabilize the eurozone with firm debt ceilings monitored by independent experts. Countries in an economic crisis should be able to leave the euro temporarily. Cashless payments should also remain secure and anonymous.

The PdF wants to keep the euro stable. There should be firm limits on debt. Experts should check these limits, not politicians. A country in trouble should be able to leave the euro for a while. Paying without cash should stay anonymous.

The PdF wants to cut EU bureaucracy in a targeted way. New directives would be tested for practicality in advance, bureaucracy costs would be capped, and an independent body would track down inefficient rules. The party says this would strengthen the EU's ability to act and its public acceptance.

The PdF wants less red tape in the EU. New EU rules should pass a practice test first. The cost of red tape should have a limit. Companies should have less paperwork. A new body should find bad rules.

The PdF wants to make the influence of lobby groups on EU decisions more transparent and to limit it. The lobby register would be expanded, contacts logged, and independent oversight bodies created. The party justifies this with the public's trust in the EU.

Lobby groups try to influence politics. The PdF wants better checks on this in the EU. Politicians should write down their contacts with lobby groups. Everyone should be able to read this. Expert groups should also include independent experts and citizen groups.

The PdF proposes a debate on a single official language for the EU. It is meant to ease communication, cut translation costs and foster a shared identity. The platform names Esperanto as a neutral option.

The EU has many languages. The PdF wants to talk about one shared official language. This should save money on translation. The party suggests Esperanto. Esperanto is an invented language that is easy to learn.

The PdF wants to replace the unanimity rule in EU foreign policy with majority voting. The EU should also build a common defense strategy. In the party's view, this would let the EU respond to international crises faster and with one voice.

Today all countries must agree on EU foreign policy. One country can block everything. The PdF wants to change that. In the future a majority should be enough. The EU should also get a shared plan for defense.

The PdF calls for a sweeping reform of the EU institutions. It envisions a directly elected citizens' parliament, direct election of top posts, more powers for the European Parliament and an EU constitution adopted by referendum. Germany should take a leading role in carrying this out.

The PdF wants to make the EU more democratic. People should elect important EU posts directly. There should be a new citizens' parliament. The European Parliament should be able to make more laws. The EU should get its own constitution. Everyone in the EU should vote on it.

The SPD wants to expand the European single market because many German jobs depend on it. It includes the banking and capital markets union and digital infrastructure for cross-border services.

In the EU, companies can trade freely everywhere. This is called the single market. The SPD wants to make it stronger. Banks and money markets in Europe should grow closer together too. Many jobs in Germany depend on this.

The SPD wants a European social union and EU-wide minimum standards for member states' basic income support systems. The platform regards social standards as a competitive advantage for Europe.

The SPD wants more social rules in Europe. Every EU country should protect poor people at least equally well. There should be shared minimum rules for that. The SPD says this makes Europe stronger.

The SPD wants a European reinsurance scheme for member states' unemployment insurance that steps in during severe crises. The EU budget is to be reformed, and own revenue is to make the EU less dependent on national governments.

The SPD wants a shared safety net in Europe. It should help countries pay unemployment aid in severe crises. The EU should get its own income. Money for weaker regions should stay.

The SPD wants a European defense union and wants to enable Europe to do more for its own security. EU states are to procure armaments jointly, integrate their armed forces more closely over the long term and pursue a common arms export policy.

The EU countries should defend themselves together. They should buy weapons and equipment together. Their armies should train together. Step by step, troops should work in shared units. There should be common rules for selling weapons.

The SPD wants the Western Balkan states to join the EU quickly and wants Ukraine and Moldova to become members as well. The platform justifies this with peace, democracy and prosperity in Europe and with the concern that other powers could otherwise gain influence.

The SPD wants the EU to grow. The Western Balkan countries should join quickly. Ukraine and Moldova should become members too. All new countries must meet the EU's rules.

The SPD wants to act more firmly against member states that violate the EU's fundamental values. Existing instruments are to be used more strictly and expanded, complemented by tougher financial sanctions and an independent oversight body.

Some EU countries do not respect the shared values. The SPD wants to be stricter with them. These countries could get less money. An independent body should watch over this.

The SPD wants to reform the EU treaties and abolish the unanimity principle in the European Council and the Council of Ministers. The platform considers the veto rights of individual states outdated because, in its view, they are misused as leverage.

On some issues, all EU countries must agree. One country alone can block everything. The SPD wants to change that. In the future, a majority should be enough. The EU Parliament should get more rights.

Volt wants a European constitution to be drafted that opens the way to a federal European republic. In the platform's view, Europe needs a democratically legitimized foundation in order to act effectively and beyond national interests.

Volt wants a constitution for Europe. A constitution is the most important law of a state. The EU should become one federal state. Volt calls this a federal European republic. People in Europe should have a say in this.

Volt wants the European Parliament to be able to propose laws itself and to have an equal say in all lawmaking. The platform argues that Parliament is the only directly elected EU institution and should actively represent citizens' concerns.

Today the European Parliament cannot propose laws. Volt wants to change that. Parliament should have an equal say on all laws. The Council of the EU should change too. People should elect its members directly.

Volt wants to convert the European Commission into a government with broader powers that answers to Parliament. The European Council would be abolished in the long run, and the EU would get its own revenue.

Volt wants a real government for Europe. The EU Commission should become this government. Parliament should keep watch over it. There should be ministries like in a state. The EU should also collect its own money, for example through a digital tax.

Volt wants tasks and funding assigned to whichever level handles them most effectively. Regional and local responsibilities would stay where that makes sense, while areas such as foreign policy would be governed at the European level.

Volt wants to share tasks well. Cities and regions should handle some tasks themselves. Europe should handle other tasks together, such as foreign policy. Regions along borders should get more support.

Volt wants to create citizens' councils at the European level so that people can take part directly in EU policy. In the party's view, this would build trust in the EU and reduce disillusionment with politics.

Volt wants citizens' councils for Europe. In a citizens' council, randomly chosen people discuss politics. This way people in the EU can have a direct say. Volt hopes people will then trust the EU more.

Volt wants cross-border candidate lists for European elections, a European law on political parties, and a uniform electoral law. The platform sees this as the path to a European democracy with shared opinion-forming and more transparency.

Volt wants to change European elections. Parties should put up lists for all of Europe. Then people can vote for candidates from other countries. There should be European parties that people can vote for everywhere. The same voting rules should apply in all EU countries.

Volt wants the EU to decide by qualified majority instead of unanimously in key areas such as foreign and budget policy. According to the platform, unanimity often blocks progress and is exploited by individual states for national goals.

On some questions, all EU countries must agree. A single country can then stop everything. Volt wants to change that. In the future, a large majority of countries should be enough. This should also apply to foreign policy and the budget.

Volt wants EU money to go only to member states that respect the rule of law. Violations of core values such as press freedom and judicial independence are to be sanctioned consistently.

Volt wants the EU to give money only to countries that follow the rule of law. That means, for example, independent courts and a free press. Countries that break these rules should be punished. The EU should also do more against corruption.

Volt wants to dissolve Frontex and merge the national border agencies into a new European authority. The EU asylum agency would be expanded to organize the reception and distribution of people seeking protection. Secure external borders are meant to make fixed checks at internal borders permanently unnecessary.

Frontex is the EU border agency. Volt wants to close Frontex. A new European agency should guard the borders. A second agency should look after people seeking protection. The EU Parliament should oversee both.

Volt wants to merge the member states' diplomatic services into the European External Action Service so that Europe speaks with one voice. Europe should also become more independent of the US, reform NATO and develop nuclear sharing based on French capabilities.

Volt wants one shared foreign policy for Europe. The countries' foreign services should become part of one European service. Europe should depend less on the US. France's nuclear weapons should protect the whole EU. Volt still wants fewer nuclear weapons worldwide.

Volt wants to remove barriers for companies and workers in the EU single market. The plan includes a common capital market, an optional EU body of business law, and in the long run a European social insurance. The platform sees the single market as a stabilizer in a world trade shaped by geopolitics.

Volt wants companies to work more easily across the whole EU. For this, there should be common EU rules that companies can choose. Investing money across borders should be easier. Later there should be a European social insurance.