By IRNA
Berlin : German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Tuesday called 2008 a “decisive year” for the success of the grand coalition government amid deepening political disputes between the ruling Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and its junior coalition partner, the Social Democratic Party (SPD).
Addressing a major news conference in Berlin where she outlined her domestic and foreign policy priorities for this year, Merkel said, “2008 is a key year for the success of the grand coalition.” She voiced optimism that all planned reforms could be implemented after all.
Merkel acknowledged that three upcoming state elections had impacted the work of the grand coalition.
The German leader prioritized job creation, reducing bureaucracy, balancing the budget by 2011, pressing ahead with health reforms, fighting terror and crime, combating the shortage of skilled workers as well as promoting the national integration plan.
Pointing to the issue of youth crime, Merkel conceded that there were mounting differences between her party (CDU) and SPD.
“These are not the most harmonious of times,” she said, adding that she was upbeat that both parties could continue their cooperation in the grand coalition.
SPD and CDU have been at odds over the need to toughen youth crime laws after the recent series of brutal attacks at municipal train stations in Munich, Frankfurt and Hamburg.
The focus of the discussions is also on the nation’s immigration policies since some of the assailants had an ethnic background.
Merkel has strongly backed calls by her party for a harsh crackdown on young offenders, including making it easier to deport foreign teenage criminals from Germany.
The CDU wants the maximum jail term for young people convicted of serious crimes to be raised from 10 to 15 years and a “warning shot” period of detention for those given probation for violent offenses.
Foreigners given a sentence of one year or more would be subjected to deportation under the controversial plan which also calls for the introduction of American-style boot camps where youthful offenders could be sent for re-education.
The SPD has warned against hyping the issue of teenage crimes and using for state election purposes, saying the current crime laws are sufficient.
It pointed out that nationwide statistics did not indicate a significant rise in the juvenile crime rate.
The SPD has accused the CDU of fuelling anti-foreigner sentiments to win votes in the upcoming three state polls in Hesse, Lower-Saxony and Hamburg.