Sign of equality: the Berlin women’s day, 8. March for the public holiday

As the first Federal state of Berlin has the International women’s day, 8. March for the public holiday declared. The house of representatives decided on Thursday, a majority of a legislative amendment. It is also determined that the 75. Anniversary of the liberation from national socialism on the 8. In may 2020, will be celebrated in the capital as a work-free holiday.

Berlin had nine work-free holidays per year – as few as no other state. Now there are ten. For comparison: In Bavaria the work of 13 resting days, in the state of Baden-Württemberg to twelve holidays.

“today is a very big sign that we are coming on the way of the equality of woman and man to continue,” said the gender equality policy spokesperson of the SPD parliamentary group, Derya Caglar, with a view to the decision to 8. March. Left and Green were similar.

the CDU, the FDP and the AfD criticized that the choice fell on the women’s day, and not on reformation day on 31 October. October. This is already the case in the other East, and since last year also in the Northern countries holiday.

Long debates over the date

In Berlin long debates over the correct date for a new holiday, and in addition to the 8 it had. March, a variety of proposals. The Left had first, for the 8. May advocates, representatives of the Church for the reformation day. The head of the government Michael Müller (SPD) brought the 18. March campaigned in memory of the March revolution of 1848 to the game, the Commissioner for the reappraisal of the SED dictatorship, Tom Sello, for the 9. November as the day of the fall of the Berlin wall.

Finally, the Left continued, the coalition partner of the SPD and the greens under pressure by the party leadership, surprisingly, on the 8. March. The other two parties moved in.

Berlin’s economy is not excited about the new holiday. “The policy here makes a costly voters a gift, the Berlin-based gross reduces the social product of around 160 million euros,” said the chief Executive of the chamber of Commerce and industry (IHK), Jan Eder. This corresponds to a decline of 0.3 percent.

in 2020, the 8 drops. March on a Sunday. Nevertheless, the Berliners have in the coming year, with the 8. May, ten work-free days.