What do the parties in Saarland say on Europe?

The AfD wants the European Central Bank to end its policy of zero and negative interest rates. It opposes EU rules for regional banks that it regards as overregulation, as well as shared European liability for banks. It cites losses for savers and harm to regional banks as reasons.

The AfD is against zero and negative interest rates from the European Central Bank. The party says savers lose money because of them. The EU should regulate small regional banks less strictly. Banks in Europe should not be liable for each other.

The CDU wants to represent the interests of Saarland's industry, trade unions and mid-sized businesses at the EU level. According to the platform, shifting the economy to climate neutrality can only succeed within the European Green Deal.

The CDU wants to speak up in Europe for companies in Saarland. The economy should become climate neutral. That means it should no longer harm the climate. The CDU says this only works together in Europe. Companies should get rules they can rely on.

The CDU wants to push for Europe-wide fiscal consolidation and strict stability rules for the euro. It rejects a debt union. It calls on the European Central Bank to fulfill its mandate of price stability.

The CDU wants a stable euro. Countries in Europe should take on less debt. The CDU does not want permanent shared debt in Europe. The European Central Bank should make sure prices do not rise sharply.

The CDU wants EU money to flow only when member states respect rule-of-law principles. At the same time, the division of powers set out in the EU treaties is to be preserved, especially for social legislation and the German states' authority over education and culture.

Some EU countries no longer follow important rule-of-law rules. The CDU wants this: Only countries that follow the rules get EU money. But the EU should not decide everything. The German states should keep deciding about schools and culture.

The CDU wants to develop Saarland's Frankreichstrategie (France Strategy) into a broader internationalization strategy. Cooperation with France is to grow at all levels, and the state is to move closer to the organization of French-speaking countries.

Saarland works closely with France. The CDU wants to expand this cooperation. Saarland should also connect more with other countries in the world. Citizens can share their wishes on a participation platform.

The CDU wants to set up a citizens' forum for the Greater Region that can start initiatives and petitions. This is meant to bring European policy closer to people's everyday lives.

The CDU wants to create a citizens' forum for the Greater Region. There, citizens can make proposals and start petitions. A petition is a request or demand to politicians. This should bring European policy closer to people.

The CDU wants to revive and expand town twinning partnerships and start new ones. It also wants to strengthen the Franco-German and German-Polish youth offices and support the creation of further bilateral youth exchange offices.

Many towns have partner towns in other countries. The CDU wants to bring these partnerships back to life. There should also be new ones. Young people should have more exchange with other countries. For this, the CDU wants to strengthen the youth exchange offices and support new ones.

The SPD commits to the idea of a federal European state and wants to make the Greater Region a model region for Europe. Cross-border institutions are to be strengthened and a parliament of the Greater Region created. Administrative hurdles at the borders are to be removed.

The SPD wants a united Europe as a federal state. The Greater Region should be a model for this. It includes Saarland and nearby areas in France, Luxembourg and Belgium. It would get its own parliament. Young people should also have a say.

The SPD wants to create a health corridor along the borders in which people can use medical services on both sides at no extra cost. The European Pillar of Social Rights is to be applied more strongly in the Greater Region. National rules should no longer put cross-border commuters at a disadvantage.

The SPD wants people near the border to see doctors on both sides. This should not cost more. Good wages and social protection should apply across the whole Greater Region. People who work in the neighboring country should face no disadvantages.