German Bishops Convene Amid Tensions with CDU/CSU Over Migration Policies

The spring assembly addresses political clashes, societal issues, and internal church reforms following criticism of CDU/CSU's collaboration with the AfD.

• The German Bishops' Conference begins its spring assembly at Kloster Steinfeld, focusing on church-state relations and internal reforms.
• Tensions have risen after Catholic and Protestant leaders criticized CDU/CSU for collaborating with the AfD in parliamentary votes and their approach to migration policies.
• CSU leader Markus Söder called for the church to focus on religious issues, prompting a strong defense of church independence from Cardinal Reinhard Marx.
• Former CDU leader Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer resigned from a Catholic lay committee over disagreements with the church's stance on migration criticism.
• The assembly will also address the situation of Christians in Syria, the handling of sexual abuse cases, and the ongoing Synodal Path reform process.

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