Young Union

The Junge Union Deutschlands (Young Union of Germany) or JU is the joint youth organisation of the two conservative German political parties, CDU and CSU.[1] Membership is limited to individuals between 14 and 35 years of age.[2]

Young Union
Junge Union
ChairmanTilman Kuban
Secretary GeneralAntonia Haufler (acting)
Founded1947
HeadquartersLeipziger Platz 11, D-10117 Berlin
IdeologyChristian democracy
Conservatism
Economic liberalism
Mother partyChristian Democratic Union
Christian Social Union in Bavaria
International affiliationInternational Young Democrat Union
Websitejunge-union.de

Junge Union claims to be the largest political youth organization in Germany and Europe with about 120,000 members.[3]

Political positions

The JU views itself as an organization that aims to further the goals of its parent political parties, CDU/CSU, among the German youth, and to represent the interests of the younger generation within the CDU/CSU parties. In its platform, it defines itself as a liberal,[4] conservative, yet progressive[5] organization. The JU is committed to democracy and a social market economy. It supports European integration and a strong partnership with the United States within the framework of NATO. Within its parent parties, the Junge Union advocates political reform. One central objective is a remodeling of the public social security system which is confronted by an increasing dependency ratio. The JU supports intergenerational equity in the areas of pension and health care system reforms, proposing to complement these systems with capital-based private accounts in order to address fiscal problems such as Germany's debt-to-GDP ratio. The JU views labor-market liberalization as an effective means to battle unemployment. It favors university tuition fees, and has expressed support for the Center Against Expulsions in Berlin.

In foreign policy, the JU is committed to a German-American security alliance, and has called for Germany to participate in the War against Iraq. It opposes Turkey's full membership in the European Union, preferring for them to have a privileged partnership with the EU.

Prominent former members of the Junge Union
  • Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg – German minister of defence (2009–11)
  • Volker Kauder – Leader of the CDU/CSU Group in the Bundestag (2005–18)
  • Roland Koch – Minister-president of Hesse (1999–2010)
  • Helmut Kohl – Chancellor of Germany (1982–98)
  • Günther Oettinger – Minister-president of Baden-Württemberg (2005–10), European Commissioner (since 2010)
  • Wolfgang Schäuble – German minister of the interior (1989–91 and 2005–09), minister of finance (2009–17), president of the Bundestag (since 2017)
  • Jens Spahn – German minister of health (since 2018)
  • Edmund Stoiber – Minister-president of Bavaria (1993–2007)
  • Christian Wulff – Minister-president of Lower Saxony (2003–10), President of Germany (2010–12)

Chairpersons

International relations

The JU is a member of the Youth of the European People's Party (YEPP), an umbrella organisation of Christian Democratic and conservative youth organisations of Europe. It collaborates closely with all European partner organisations but has traditionally had strong ties to the neighboring Junge Österreichische Volkspartei (JVP), the youth organisation of the Austrian People's Party.

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References
  1. Philipp Mißfelder (editor): 60 Jahre Junge Union Deutschlands, Berlin 2007 ISBN 978-3-923632-06-0
  2. JA, ich möchte jetzt in die JUNGE UNION eintreten! Young Union (official website). Retrieved 11 October 2018.
  3. "About Youth Union". Retrieved 13 May 2015.
  4. Preamble - Page 1 party manifesto (German)
  5. Preamble - Page 2 party manifesto (German)
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