Christian Dürr, the leader of the Free Democratic Party, is calling for a compulsory summer school for children whose German skills are insufficient. He told “Focus” that such a targeted shortening of holidays should be implemented across all 16 German states.
Dürr argues that strong German language skills are the foundation for integration, real participation, and genuine upward mobility for children. While multilingualism is valuable, he notes that too many children are still being placed in school without truly mastering the language-an outcome that undermines a cohesive society. A diverse society, he says, needs a common language, and for Germany that language is German.
In addition, he demands that all children undergo mandatory language testing no later than two years before enrollment in school.
On the financing side, Dürr warns against further wasteful bureaucratic subsidies. He proposes raising education spending to at least 1.5 % of Germany’s GDP, framing it as an essential element of the FDP’s promise of progress.
