The Thuringian Cabinet has approved a Federal Council initiative designed to strengthen mandatory schooling. The state chancery announced on Tuesday that this resolution, along with two other initiatives, will be presented to the Federal Council on Friday. These two additional initiatives focus on the future of the public health service and providing relief against high energy prices.
Regarding compulsory schooling, the state government is advocating for a clear commitment from both the federal and state levels to this principle. They insist that the federal government must take into account the significance of mandatory schooling when developing future legislation for a robust and fair educational system. According to the chancery, this initiative is a response to demands from the AfD party to weaken compulsory attendance in favor of homeschooling. Meanwhile, Minister-President Mario Voigt (CDU) emphasized that mandatory schooling is an “indispensable foundation of educational justice.”
In a separate measure, Thuringia is calling for the Public Health Service Pact (ÖGD) to be extended past the year 2026. Health Minister Katharina Schenk (SPD) noted that the recent pandemic highlighted the critical importance of strong, capable health offices. Finally, the state is urging concrete measures to alleviate the burden on consumers and businesses due to energy prices. This includes examining the possibility of temporarily suspending the national CO2 pricing for fuels and introducing a climate dividend.
