Germany: SPD Minister-President wants to turn his Land into a theocracy

[ingemann]

I think the best solution to this would be a referendum.

Yes let one of Western Germany's poorest Länder waste money, time and publicity on a referendrum which everybody know will end with a Yay and less than half voting and will serve nothing except making people even more tired of politics than they are.

Why do you think a referendum would end with a yea?

Because the vast amount of the population wouldn't care and for people who cared about sh**ts like this, there are Christian culture warriors, conservatives, Social Democratic hacks, general reationary people and volk who just hate FDP than limp wristed latte drinkers or who the hell who would care enough about this issue to make a referendrum about it.

[Unimog]

nothing wrong with god in the constituition.

 

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

I'm pretty neutral on this. In principle, I wouldn't support doing it, but it's not something to get worked up about.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Great news!!!!

May I inquire why?

[solarstorm]

For those interested: Schleswig-Holstein has renounced the reference to god in its state constitution.

The inclusion of a reference to god didn't receive a required two-thirds majority. The wording proposed by the CDU "in responsibility before God and the people" got 29 votes; the attenuated wording "in responsibility before God and the people and conscious of the religious, philosophical and humanistic heritage" found 33 advocates. 46 would have been needed.
Allocation of the 69 seats in the Landtag of Schleswig-Holstein:

CDU: 22 seats
SPD: 22 seats
Greens: 10 seats
Pirates: 6 seats
FDP: 6 seats
SSW: 3 seats
Here's an overview of the several preambles in terms of reference to god:

(gray: reference; blue: no reference)

[Hifly]

The FDP and Pirates will lose all their seats at the next election.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia surprise me a little.

[Yeahsayyeah]

The typical reference in German constitutions is à la "In (acknowledging) the (our) responsibilty in front of God and the humans/people (Menschen) the people (Volk/Bevölkerung) of xy has given itself this constitution". It is also part of the Grundgesetz and the formulas  of Thuringia and Saxony-Anhalt are following this model. It isn't that surprising, either, because they had black-yellow coalitions after 1990. The more surprising thing is, that the constitution of Saxony does not have a reference of this kind.

Saxony of course has other silly references like the margraviate of Meißen, the "lower Silesian area/territory" (that is actually a traditional part of Upper Lusatia annexed by Prussia in 1815 and then merged with Silesia). And of course it is based on the "traditions of Saxonian constitutional history" and is done "minding its own guilt for its past".

[Boston Bread]

The FDP and Pirates will lose all their seats at the next election.

It's possible, but I doubt this would be why. The supporters of those parties are already among the most secular.

[Hifly]

The FDP and Pirates will lose all their seats at the next election.

It's possible, but I doubt this would be why. The supporters of those parties are already among the most secular.

I know, but it feels good.