Equal Living Conditions

Germany is a diverse country. Different living conditions and forms of organisation are shaped by tradition and accepted. At the same time, living conditions are not equivalent and opportunities are not equal everywhere. Different conditions are found in the various regions, and these differences are reinforced by the varying regional impact of demographic change.
Creating equivalent living conditions is important for social cohesion in Germany. Participation, inclusion and cohesion can only thrive in communities that have good living and working conditions, a liveable environment, a functioning infrastructure and social harmony. All people in Germany need to be able to live well in the place where they want to live – this is a key priority of any successful policy on community. Equivalent living conditions are fundamental for society to function.
To achieve this, establishing a new cooperative relationship with local governments is especially important. We want to strengthen local governments and local self-government, for example through early and intensive reciprocal involvement, by encouraging an active civil society, and not least by protecting local officials. The decentral organisation of public administration can help bring about more equivalent living conditions, for example by locating federal agencies in less prosperous regions.