Dieter Althaus
Dieter Althaus ( born June 29, 1958 in Holy City ) is a lobbyist and former German politician ( CDU). He was on 5 June 2003 to 30 October 2009 Minister President of the Free State of Thuringia.
- 2.1 Appointment of Peter Krause
- 2.2 solidarity citizen's income
- 2.3 creationism
- 2.4 theming the GDR past
Life
Education and work
Althaus laid in 1977 from High School and performed from November 1977 to 1979 his 18-month military service in the National People 's Army (NPA ); He retired as a corporal. In 1979 he began a teacher studying physics and mathematics at the University of Education (PH) in Erfurt, which he finished in 1983 as a graduate teacher. By the end of 1989, he was a high school teacher of physics and mathematics at the Polytechnic High School (POS ) in Geismar at Heiligenstadt in the calibration field operates, since 1987 also as an assistant principal.
End of November 1989 Althaus retired at his own request from his voluntary work in the youth ordination Committee. In early 1990 he was inspector of the former district of the Holy City, in May 1990, Councillor for Education, Youth, Culture and Sport.
Party race
Althaus 1985 was a member of the CDU.
Since 1990, Althaus was a member of the Thuringian state parliament for the CDU. From 1991 to 2001 he was also Chairman of the CDU district association calibration field. He was elected First Vice-Chairman of the CDU in Thuringia in 1993, and from 2000 to 2009 he was state chairman and also a member of the federal board of the CDU. After the state elections in September 1999, he was until 2003 Chairman of the CDU faction in the Thuringian state parliament.
With 74.1 percent of the vote Althaus was re- elected to Parliament in the constituency Eichsfeld I 2004. He was confirmed on 8 July 2005 with 45 of 88 votes from a majority of the CDU faction in office. In August 2005, Althaus was appointed to the team of experts of the CDU for the federal election in 2005 with responsibility for the reconstruction of the East; since 2006, he also belonged to the CDU headquarters.
Public offices
February 11, 1992 to October 1, 1999 Althaus was a member of the Ministers of Education and conducted by Prime Minister Bernhard Vogel state government of Thuringia (Cabinet Vogel III).
On 5 June 2003 he was elected (as successor by Bernhard Vogel, who retired for reasons of age ) to the Minister President of the Free State of Thuringia. From 1 November 2003 to 31 October 2004, he was President of the Bundesrat as scheduled.
Skiing accident
On 1 January 2009 Althaus collided in a skiing accident in the Austrian ski resort of Riesneralp with a skier, who died during transport to the hospital to the very serious consequences of accidents. Althaus suffered a severe craniocerebral trauma with cerebral hemorrhage. In early March 2009, he was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in Austria to pay a fine in the amount of 33,300 euros and a smart money of 5000 €. The ruling was criticized because it was already talked one day after indictment. The negligence allegation against him is mainly due to a violation of the fifth FIS rule that establishes the duties of care for the ( upward ) moving into other slopes. On 20 April 2009 he took office again. The media handling of the incident, in particular the exclusive interviews by Althaus with the Bild newspaper, was criticized by journalists and opposition politicians. Although Althaus had provided a "swift civil control" in view, the negotiations over compensation for damages dragged on for nearly three years; a large part of the agreed sum has not been paid despite repeated request until December 2011.
State elections in 2009 and resignation
After the CDU had lost the absolute majority in the regional elections on 30 August 2009 and a coalition with the FDP Althaus not the majority in the parliament could give, he drew his own conclusions from the election defeat and resigned on September 3, 2009 with immediate effect as Prime Minister and Regional Chairman of the CDU in Thuringia back. The SPD, which came as the only coalition partner for the CDU in question, had previously stated that only work with the Union when Althaus withdrew. De jure remained Althaus until the election of the new prime minister Christine Dear servant on 30 October 2009 and after the Thuringian Constitution (Article 75, paragraph 3) business leader in office. For successor Dieter Althaus country chair of the CDU Thuringia Christine Dear servant was elected on October 25, 2009 also.
Change in the private sector in 2010
As is known since the end of January 2010, Althaus joined as a manager to the Austrian- Canadian auto supplier Magna International and therefore presented end of April 2010 his seat in Parliament in Thuringia down. According to the company Althaus worked since February 1, 2010 as Vice President of Magna office at VW 's headquarters in Wolfsburg and was there for the customers Volkswagen and for contacts with public authorities in Germany zuständig.Seit the beginning of 2011 he has been Vice President of Governmental Affairs Magna Europe operates. While opposition leaders Bodo Ramelow described the change as a blatant case of Lobbykratie said SPD state chief Christoph Matschie (since coalition with the CDU in 2009 Thuringian Minister of Education and Deputy Prime Minister ), he saw no reason for criticism. It must in principle be possible to switch from the policy in other areas. Althaus was closely involved in 2009 in the negotiations on Opel takeover by Magna.
Others commitment
Althaus is in numerous volunteer initiatives and associations active ( selection): member of the Central Committee of German Catholics ( Main Committee ), Chairman of the Kolping Training Thüringen, board member of the Association Against Forgetting - For Democracy and board member of the Pax - Bank. He is also a member of the Sponsors of the Foundation of the German Police union.
Private
Althaus since 1982 with the teacher Katharina Althaus, born Arand, married, with whom he has two daughters. He is Roman Catholic denomination.
Political and ideological positions
Appointment of Peter Krause
In May 2008, Althaus planned the appointment of Peter Krause to the Minister of Education of the State of Thuringia. After public criticism of Krause's past, mainly because of its contributions for the magazine Junge Freiheit and his contradictory statements in this regard, renounced Krause. The nomination and the vehement Defend the same even after the waiver by Krause also brought Althaus criticism.
Solidarity citizen's income
Althaus calls for an unconditional solidarity citizen's income of 800 euros for every German citizen (or 500 euros for children). The scheme relies on two options, in each case immediately a health premium of 200 euros should be deducted: 800 euros per month ( 600 euros net) at 50 percent tax burden on each add earned euro (negative control principle ) and 400 € (= 200 € net) 25 percent tax burden ( flat tax model). The latter variant is worth a month from an income of 1600 euros. Children also pay the health premium, so that the children citizen's income, net 300 euros will be paid. Existing entitlements to higher pensions are financed by a ten percent payroll tax that would go all the way to the detriment of the company, but is only for a transitional period.
All of today's social benefits ( child benefit, housing benefit, federal financial aid, ALG) and " subsidies " as one-euro jobs ( employment opportunities involving expense allowance ), Mini-/Midi-Jobs and combined wage omitted in this model, but also all of today's social contributions (for example, pension contributions ). The basic income is in this model slightly below today's Hartz IV level, but remain merits addition, at least half the recipient of the civil money. Earners benefit to the extent of the system change when the income tax is limited to 25 percent, but omitted in the income tax law and all tax-reducing exemptions ( flat tax ).
Citizen's Pension: The concept also includes a " citizen's pension " in the amount of up to 1400 euros a month. This amount is monthly from the solidarity citizen's money of 800 euros and a supplementary pension (up to a maximum of 600 Euro) - depending on the years of work and merit. This means that a rigid retirement age is not necessary. In today's pension rights acquired to have in effect and will be financed through a pension allowance. The pension can thus for this group exceed the amount of the civil money rent.
The concept of solidarity citizen's money is a fundamental attempt to answer the question of how the social security systems can be financed in the future - especially in the light of the demographic development of society.
The Policy Commission of the CDU in October 2006 expressed interest in the concept of Dieter Althaus. To this end she appointed on 17 September 2007 a commission " solidarity citizen's income ", which should go under his chairmanship the subject objectively and evolve. The final report of the Commission " solidarity citizen's income " was introduced on 1 November 2010 by Dieter Althaus.
Creationism
Althaus earned strong criticism of the opposition in the Thuringian state parliament, as the autumn of 2005 a supporter of creationism, Professor Siegfried Scherer, should participate in the " Erfurt dialogue " in the Thuringian State. Controversy, particularly Scherer's textbook Evolution - a critical textbook which represents an evolution critical view of the theory of evolution and opposes this in the last section a standing in line with a literal interpretation of the Bible creation theory ( " Young Earth Creationism "). After critical reports in regional and national media Scherer was unloaded again. Althaus established the projection clipper with the cancellation of its counterparts, the evolutionary biologist and humanist Ulrich Kutschera.
As Thüringischer Education Minister Althaus has praised the book by Scherer, saying in 2002, "I hope (...) that your book is not only used by biology teachers for the classroom, but encounters a far beyond readership. " He called the book as "very good example of value-based education." The Biology Professor Ulrich Kutschera described the fact that the Althaus committed such a "catastrophe ".
Thematization of the GDR past
After the political changes of 1989/90 where former students in a broadcast on ARD the accusation Althaus had in his role as assistant principal vociferously in various speeches for the " preservation of socialism." On August 25, 1989, he appealed in a speech at the " fixed class point " of his colleagues.
On November 9, 1989 Althaus wrote in a letter to the District Committee on Jugendweihe (JW ): "As a tradition of free religious associations (since 1859) should the JW again have the contents of a Marxist- Leninist world view ". Althaus and even people who defended his attitude at the time, argued that the central concern of the letter is rather the liberation of the school from the ideological appropriation by the official policy of the GDR government. The youth consecration should be again, than what it was originally intended - a civilian, free religious initiation, which should mark the transition from youth to adulthood.
Althaus still made in mid- November 1989, in a further contribution thought to how it would be possible to " reveal the values of socialism as morally desirable our students ."
In a Spiegel article ( morally desirable, 21/1993 ) claimed a former student of Althaus, this is " Reserve Lieutenant " ( reserve lieutenant ) of the NVA and had been in 1985 on a " military training camp " competition. The Althaus met with a reference to his military pass by it should be noted as a corporal. The implication in terms of completed military exercise he did not deny, however.
Awards
For his " outstanding achievements in the Communist education in the pioneer organization Ernst Thalmann, " he was awarded in the spring of 1989 with a medal, their public acceptance he denies today. It indicates, however, to have accepted the honor associated with the sign bonus of 500 marks.
For his political work Althaus has received numerous awards, including 2004, the Great Silver Medal with Ribbon for Services to the Republic of Austria, in 2005 was appointed commander of the Legion of Honor, 2005, the Solar Energy Award of the Federation Renewable Energy, 2006 UMU SME Award of Medium-sized entrepreneurs Union eV, 2007 Matejcek - rate of the Family network Germany, 2008, the medal of Honor of the Thuringian Firemen Association eV in gold and 2009, the Cavalier 's Cross of the order of Merit of the Republic of Poland for his services to the German - Polish relations.