CDU calls for the additional agreement for Bonn to be concluded quickly!

CDU calls for the additional agreement for Bonn to be concluded quickly!

The political atmosphere in the Bonn region is quite charged, and not without reason. The CDU district associations Rhein-Sieg and Bonn are speaking out and calling for the additional agreement to the Bonn-Berlin law to be concluded quickly this year. This additional agreement is not an easy undertaking, but is intended to significantly update the Berlin/Bonn law, which regulates the division of tasks between the two cities. As ksta.de reports, the actors involved - including the federal government, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate and the districts of Bonn, Rhein-Sieg-Kreis, Neuwied and Ahrweiler - have been working since the summer 2022 on this agreement.

The goal is clear: Bonn should be strengthened, not only as the headquarters of the United Nations, but also as an important cybersecurity location, cultural center and place for teaching democracy. In addition, Bonn should continue to be a location for federal authorities and be attractive for federal employees. The need for such an agreement is also emphasized by NRW Minister Nathanael Liminski, who is pushing for reliable and rapid progress.

Significance of the coalition agreement

There is good news from the coalition agreement of the failed traffic light coalition: the mandate for the additional agreement is explicitly reflected in it. This makes you sit up and take notice, because the original conclusion was planned for March 2025, but could not be realized due to the new elections in the Bundestag. However, the new black-red coalition has also made the issue a priority. As rhein-sieg-kreis.de reports, intensive negotiations between the region around Bonn and the federal government are responsible for these developments.

The discussion rounds aim to establish a long-term and sustainable anchoring of projects of federal interest in the region. This is a significant step in the right direction, especially for the Ahrweiler and Neuwied districts.

The Berlin/Bonn law at a glance

The background knowledge about the Berlin/Bonn law is as exciting as it is relevant. According to Wikipedia, this law is the response to the decision of the German Bundestag of June 20, 1991, which designated Berlin as the seat of government, while Bonn functions as the federal city. The law stipulates that federal ministries may have a seat in both Bonn and Berlin, although the exact distribution is at the discretion of the Federal Chancellor. Bonn has nevertheless retained its assigned ministries and is allowed to use the title of “federal city”. In 1999, the move of the Bundestag was a striking event, and Bonn was not entirely empty, as several federal authorities came to the city.

The last adjustments to the law were made with a significant change in 2019. There are now key points for a “Bonn Treaty” that could bring further financial compensation into play. The financial volume already amounts to more than 1.4 billion euros from previous compensatory measures, which once again underlines the relevance of the new agreement.

The coming months could be crucial for Bonn. The CDU's demand to conclude the additional agreement this year shows that there is a lot going on here. Politicians have recognized the urgency and this could be good business for the region.