Reuters AlertNet Lite - Fears for German coalition after crime row -media

Reuters AlertNet Full site

NEWSDESK

Fears for German coalition after crime row -media

13 Jan 2008 11:58:14 GMT
Source: Reuters

BERLIN, Jan 13 (Reuters) - Senior German conservatives in Angela Merkel's Christian Democrat party (CDU) fear a row over youth crime could hurt cooperation in the ruling coalition ahead of this month's state elections, German media said on Sunday.

CDU plans to crack down on young foreign criminals have sparked fierce exchanges between top members of the CDU and coalition partner the Social Democrats (SPD).

The dispute has centred on Roland Koch, premier of the state of Hesse, who used the case of an assault on a Munich pensioner by a German-born Turkish youth and a Greek youngster to attack the judiciary for being slow in dealing with young criminals.

He also accused some foreigners of failing to meet German hygiene standards. He hopes to be re-elected in the western state this month.

Immigrant groups say the debate is populist and xenophobic while the head of the SPD in parliament, Peter Struck, said he thought Koch was pleased the attack had happened -- comments which Merkel called "absurd".

The CDU general secretary Ronald Pofalla told Super Illu magazine the row could have "repercussions for further cooperation" between the coalition partners. "I can only urgently demand the Social Democrats back off," he said.

In comments from a letter to members of the CDU and Bavarian sister party the Christian Social Union published by Welt am Sonntag, CDU parliamentary leader Volker Kauder said rows in the coalition had raised doubts about SPD support.

"I can't deny that many of the comments made by our coalition partners are cause for concern," Kauder said, adding he thought the SPD was not fully backing the coalition.

Koch said on Sunday the crime crackdown should also include children under 14 years old, who he said were sometimes used by adults to commit crime. "We must recognise there is a very small group of people under 14 who commit very aggressive crimes."

Koch said it would be a shame if crime issues were left to the far-right National Democratic Party, which has praised his stance. "We cannot shut our eyes to the facts because of ideological blindness!" he told Bild am Sonntag. (Reporting by Sylvia Westall; editing by Elizabeth Piper)

AlertNet news is provided by

Email this article Send comments

NGO latest

• Protective action: Incorporating civilian protection into humanitarian reponse
HPG - UK

• World Vision Urges U.S. Congress to Reauthorize AIDS Relief Plan
WV - USA

MORE >>

Latest news

• Fears for German coalition after crime row -media

• Shanghai police break up "maglev" train protest

• Shanghai police break up "maglev" train protest

• Hundreds protest Shanghai maglev rail extension

• Shanghai police detain anti-maglev rail protesters

MORE >>

AlertNet news is provided by

Breaking stories

Fears for German coalition after crime row -media (1 minute ago)

Shanghai police break up "maglev" train protest (1 minute ago)

AlertNet insight

Climate change and conflicts: Is there a link at all? (1 minute ago)

Aid agency news feed

Protective action: Incorporating civilian protection into humanitarian reponse (1 minute ago)

Blogs

Bali climate change talks: 'The long, arduous road' to nowhere? (1 minute ago)