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110-514: According to a 2008 United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime document, persons who turn state's evidence "are known by a variety of names, including cooperating witnesses, crown witnesses, snitches, witness collaborators, justice collaborators, state witnesses, 'supergrasses', macarons and pentiti (Italian for 'those who have repented')." In the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth realms ,

220-566: A Catholic family, Kohl joined the CDU in 1946 at the age of 16. He earned a PhD in history at Heidelberg University in 1958, and worked as a business executive before becoming a full-time politician. He was elected as the youngest member of the Parliament of Rhineland-Palatinate in 1959 and from 1969 to 1976 was minister president of the Rhineland-Palatinate state. Viewed during the 1960s and

330-498: A constructive vote of no confidence , replacing him with Barzel. The attempt failed, as two members of the opposition voted against Barzel. After Barzel also lost the general election later that year , the path was free for Kohl to take over. After Barzel announced on 10 May 1973 that he would not run for the post of party chairman again, Kohl succeeded him at a party convention in Bonn on 12 June 1973, amassing 520 of 600 votes, with him as

440-506: A 10 Bn DM package of Erziehungsgeld (childcare allowance) was introduced, although according to various studies, this latter initiative was heavily counterbalanced by cuts. In 1989, special provisions were introduced for the older unemployed. Kohl's time as Chancellor also saw some controversial decisions in the field of social policy. Student aid was made reimbursable to the state while the Health Care Reform Act of 1989 introduced

550-466: A criminal. Four attempts were made to introduce the system to anti-terror legislation, but it was not included in the 1976 legislation. Additionally, Germany lacked a witness protection program such as that found in the United States; Ulrich Schmücker was murdered after he informed on his former associates in the 2 June Movement . Another crown witness, Karl-Heinz Ruhland , recanted his testimony against

660-652: A defendant who agrees to cooperate with prosecutors and give information against co-conspirators (often those with greater culpability) is also said to flip . Witnesses who have turned state's evidence have been important in organized crime cases in the United States, such as those against the American Mafia . The first mafiosi who turned state's evidence, such as Joseph Valachi and Jimmy Fratianno , did so in response to threats on their life from Mafia associates; later cooperators were motivated to cooperate in order to avoid heavy sentences, such as those provided for under

770-531: A gall bladder operation in Heidelberg, and heart surgery in 2012. He was reportedly in "critical condition" in June 2015, following intestinal surgery following a hip-replacement procedure. In 2011, Kohl, despite frail health, began giving a number of interviews and issued statements in which he sharply condemned his successor Angela Merkel, whom he had formerly mentored, on her policies in favour of strict austerity in

880-411: A law effectively called the "crown witness rule" which enabled witnesses in terror related cases to turn state's evidence. Initially only valid until 1992, it was extended several times until it was abolished in 1999. A law adopted in 2000 lowered the sentence of a witness who came to an agreement with the prosecution in trials concerning money-laundering, but it was not called a crown witness rule. In 2009

990-671: A legal instrument, and was again applied by SPD Chancellor Gerhard Schröder in 2005. In the federal elections of March 1983 , Kohl won a resounding victory. The CDU/CSU won 48.8%, while the FDP won 7.0%. Some opposition members of the Bundestag, angered by what SPD figures in the Hessian regional elections had called the FDP's 'betrayal in Bonn', asked the Federal Constitutional Court to declare

1100-440: A mistake during the voting process, Kohl himself voted against the proposal, further angering his supporters, such as party treasurer Walther Leisler Kiep . Nevertheless, when Kiesinger stepped down as party chairman in 1971, Kohl was a candidate for his succession. He was unsuccessful, losing the vote to Barzel 344 to 174. In April 1972, in the light of Brandt's Ostpolitik , the CDU aimed to depose Brandt and his government in

1210-527: A new crown witness rule came into force and since then, witnesses in a wider range of cases have been allowed to become a crown witnesses. The incentives to turn state's evidence, or to not to do so, are explored in the famous prisoner's dilemma , created by Merrill Flood and Melvin Dresher . United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime ( UNODC ; French : Office des Nations unies contre la drogue et le crime )

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1320-448: A nuclear phase-out would "make the world a more dangerous place", that risks are a part of life and Germany should instead focus on "taking precautionary measures and minimizing risks". On 19 April 2016, Kohl was visited in his Oggersheim residence by Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán . The two had a one-hour conversation and released a joint press statement regarding the 2015 European migrant crisis , saying they doubted that Europe

1430-482: A party reform, supporting liberal stances in education and social policies, including employee participation. When a proposal by the board was put to vote at a party convention in early 1971 in Düsseldorf , Kohl was unable to prevail against protest coming from the conservative wing of the party around Alfred Dregger and the sister party CSU , costing him support at the liberal wing of the party. To make matters worse, in

1540-483: A policy of détente between East and West that had been begun by the SPD-led governments (and strongly opposed by Kohl's own CDU) during the 1970s. The CDU's general secretary, Heiner Geißler, considered the party to be in a downward spiral following the relatively poor showing in the 1987 elections. Behind the scenes, he attempted to find a majority to unseat Kohl as the party's chairman and replace him with Lothar Späth ,

1650-481: A position he held until he became Minister-President in 1969. In 1966, Kohl and the incumbent minister-president and state party chairman, Peter Altmeier , agreed to share duties. In March 1966, Kohl was elected as chairman of the party in Rhineland-Palatinate, while Altmeier once again ran for minister-president in the state elections in 1967, agreeing to hand the post over to Kohl after two years, halfway into

1760-599: A research and development network of national funding ministries and agencies (distinct from the European Union) that fund and support collaborative international projects. This French-German cooperation also was vital for important European projects, like the Treaty of Maastricht and the Euro. In 1985, Kohl and US president Ronald Reagan , as part of a plan to observe the 40th anniversary of V-E Day , saw an opportunity to demonstrate

1870-505: A reunified Germany would be able to choose which international alliance it wanted to join, although Kohl made no secret that he wanted the reunified Germany to inherit West Germany's seats at NATO and the EC. A reunification treaty was signed on 31 August 1990, and was overwhelmingly approved by both parliaments on 20 September 1990. At midnight Central European Time on 3 October 1990, East Germany officially ceased to exist, and its territory joined

1980-628: A ten-point plan for "Overcoming of the division of Germany and Europe" without consulting his coalition partner, the FDP, or the Western Allies. In February 1990, he visited the Soviet Union seeking a guarantee from Mikhail Gorbachev that the USSR would allow German reunification to proceed. One month later , the Party of Democratic Socialism – the renamed SED – was roundly defeated by a grand coalition headed by

2090-751: Is a United Nations office that was established in 1997 as the Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention by combining the United Nations International Drug Control Program (UNDCP) and the Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Division in the United Nations Office at Vienna , adopting the current name in 2002. The agency's focus is the trafficking and abuse of illicit drugs , crime prevention and criminal justice , international terrorism , and political corruption . It

2200-530: Is a legally binding instrument that entered into force on 29 September 2003, through which States parties commit to taking a series of measures against transnational organized crime. States that ratify the convention has the duty of creation of domestic offences to combat the problem, the adoption of new, sweeping frameworks for mutual legal assistance, extradition, law enforcement cooperation, technical assistance and training. The convention signifies an important stage in dealing with transnational crime by recognizing

2310-663: Is a member of the United Nations Development Group . In 2022–23, it had an estimated biannual budget of US$ 822 million. The United Nations International Drug Control Program (UNDCP) and the Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Division in the United Nations Office at Vienna were merged to form the Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention. This was renamed United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in 2002. The United Nations Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Programme Network (PNI)  [ wikidata ]

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2420-707: Is a network consisting of UNODC as well as many crime-related institutes and other centres around the world. Its aim is to strengthen international co-operation in the areas of crime prevention and criminal justice. The network facilitates the "exchange of information, research, training and public education". UNODC, which as of 2020 employs around 3400 people worldwide, has its headquarters in Vienna , Austria, with 115 field offices and two liaison offices in Brussels and in New York City . The United Nations Secretary-General appoints

2530-469: Is a yearly publication that presents a comprehensive assessment of the international drug problem, with detailed information on the illicit drug situation. It provides estimates and information on trends in the production, trafficking and use of opium/heroin, coca/cocaine, cannabis and amphetamine-type stimulants. The Report, based on data and estimates collected or prepared by Governments, UNODC and other international institutions, attempts to identify trends in

2640-492: Is the inclusion of a specific chapter on asset recovery which aimed at returning assets to their rightful owners including countries from which they had been taken illicitly. UNODC, as the custodian of UNCAC, is also one of the main initiators of the establishment of the International Anti-Corruption Academy (IACA), whose main function is to, among other things, facilitate more effective implementation of

2750-556: Is used to provoke young people to consider the implications of using drugs, and particularly injecting drugs. The Blue Heart Campaign seeks to encourage involvement and action to help stop trafficking in persons. The campaign also allows people to show solidarity with the victims of human trafficking by wearing the Blue Heart. The use of the blue UN colour demonstrates the commitment of the United Nations to combat this crime. In 2007,

2860-547: The Baader–Meinhof Group , as he initially did not receive protection from the state. The treatment crown witnesses received at this time was viewed as illegal by the media, but necessary by the prosecution. In 1981, Germany introduced a "small crown witness rule" in drug-related trials which permitted a lower sentence for witnesses who turned state's evidence. In 1989, during the Government of Helmut Kohl , Germany introduced

2970-734: The Catholic Centre Party before and after 1933. His elder brother died in World War II as a teenage soldier. At the age of ten, Kohl was obliged, like most children in Germany at the time, to join the Deutsches Jungvolk , a section of the Hitler Youth . Aged 15, on 20 April 1945, Kohl was sworn into the Hitler Youth by leader Artur Axmann at Berchtesgaden , just days before the end of

3080-510: The European debt crisis and later also towards Russia in the Russo-Ukrainian War , which he saw as opposed to his politics of peaceful bi-lateral European integration during his time as chancellor. He published the book Aus Sorge um Europa ("Out of Concern for Europe") outlining these criticisms of Merkel (while also attacking his immediate successor Gerhard Schröder's Euro policy) and

3190-675: The Helmut Kohl Centre for European Studies (currently Centre for European Studies ), which is the new political foundation of the European People's Party . In late February 2008, Kohl suffered a stroke in combination with a fall which caused serious head injuries and required his hospitalisation, after which he was reported to be using a wheelchair due to partial paralysis and having difficulty speaking. He remained in intensive care since, marrying his 43-year-old partner, Maike Richter, on 8 May 2008, while still in hospital. In 2010, he had

3300-513: The Minister-president of Baden-Württemberg . Before the CDU party convention in Bremen started on 11 September 1989, Kohl was diagnosed with an inflammation of his prostate. His doctor recommended immediate surgery, but Kohl refused to miss the convention and attended while wearing a catheter and with his doctor by his side, whom he introduced as his new speech writer. In the end, the "coup"

3410-659: The Northern Ireland conflict . In the 1980s, about 30 members of paramilitary groups (both loyalist and republican ) gave the authorities evidence against their former comrades in exchange for a more lenient sentence (or immunity from prosecution), as well as a new identity to protect them from retribution. Supergrass testimony was used, for example, in trials against IRA members. American courts adopted English common-law practices relating to witnesses turning state's evidence, "and expanded them to include leniency agreements as well as immunity agreements." In American parlance,

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3520-692: The Oder-Neisse line were definitively part of Poland, thereby relinquishing any claim Germany had to them in a treaty signed on 14 November 1990 in Warsaw . Though, earlier in March of that year, Kohl caused a diplomatic firestorm when he suggested that a reunified Germany would not accept the Oder–Neisse line, and implied that the Federal Republic might wish to restore the frontier of 1937, by force if necessary. After

3630-633: The RICO Act . Some who turned state's evidence were permitted to participate in the Witness Security Program (WITSEC). Among the highest-ranking Mafia members to turn state's evidence was Salvatore Gravano ("Sammy the Bull"), an underboss of the Gambino crime family who pleaded guilty to 19 murders and agreed to testify against family boss John Gotti ; as a result, Gravano was sentenced to 5 years and Gotti

3740-787: The Soviet Union . Following the Revolutions of 1989 , his government acted decisively, culminating in the German reunification in 1990. Kohl and French president François Mitterrand were the architects of the Maastricht Treaty which established the EU and the Euro currency. Kohl was also a central figure in the eastern enlargement of the EU , and his government led the effort to push for international recognition of Croatia, Slovenia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina when

3850-601: The Vision for Europe Award for his efforts in the unification of Europe. By the late 1990s, Kohl's popularity had dropped amid rising unemployment. He was defeated by a large margin in the 1998 federal elections by the Minister-President of Lower Saxony , Gerhard Schröder. The future Chancellor Angela Merkel started her political career as Kohl's protégée and was known in the 1990s as "Kohl's girl"; in January 1991, he lifted

3960-656: The chancellor of West Germany from 1982 to 1990. He was leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) from 1973 to 1998 and oversaw the end of the Cold War , the German reunification and the creation of the European Union (EU). Kohl’s 16-year tenure is the longest of any German chancellor since Otto von Bismarck , and is the longest for any democratically elected chancellor of Germany. Born in Ludwigshafen to

4070-524: The federal elections of 1994 Kohl was reelected with a somewhat reduced majority, defeating Minister-President of Rhineland-Palatinate Rudolf Scharping . The SPD was able to win a majority in the Bundesrat , which significantly limited Kohl's power. In foreign politics, Kohl was more successful, for instance getting Frankfurt am Main as the seat for the European Central Bank . In 1997, Kohl received

4180-415: The upcoming federal elections in mid-1975. CSU chairman Franz Josef Strauss had ambitions to run and publicly put Kohl under pressure over what a result would be acceptable in the state elections. On election day, the CDU achieved a result of 53.9 per cent, the highest ever result in the state, consolidating Kohl's position. Strauß' bid for the chancellorship was further put into jeopardy when in March 1975

4290-576: The CDU in 1998 but resigned from the position in 2000 in the wake of the CDU donations scandal which damaged his reputation domestically. Kohl received the 1988 Charlemagne Prize and was named Honorary Citizen of Europe by the European Council in 1998. Following his death , Kohl was honoured with the first-ever European act of state in Strasbourg . Kohl was described as "the greatest European leader of

4400-416: The CDU to a strong result of 48.8% of the vote, even though it proved not enough to prevent a continuation of the social-liberal coalition in the state. On 9 March 1975, Kohl and the CDU faced re-election in Rhineland-Palatinate. What placed Kohl, who intended to run for chancellor, under increased pressure was the fact that the sister parties of CDU and CSU were set to decide upon their leading candidate for

4510-467: The CDU unanimously nominated Kohl as the candidate for the general elections, without consulting their Bavarian sister party beforehand. In reaction, the CSU nominated Strauß and only a mediation by former chancellor Kiesinger was able to resolve the issue and confirm Kohl as the candidate for both parties. In June 1975, Kohl was also re-elected as party chairman, achieving a result of 98.44 per cent. Strauß took

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4620-564: The CDU. Kohl remained chairman until 1998. When chancellor Brandt stepped down in May 1974 following the unravelling of the Guillaume Affair , Kohl urged his party to restrain from Schadenfreude and not to use the position of their political opponent for "cheap polemics". In June, Kohl campaigned during the state elections in Lower Saxony for his party colleague Wilfried Hasselmann, leading

4730-562: The CDU/CSU's candidate for chancellor. Strauß was also unable to defeat the coalition of the SPD and the FDP. Unlike Kohl, Strauß did not want to continue as the leader of the CDU/CSU and remained Minister-President of Bavaria . Kohl remained as leader of the opposition, under the third Schmidt cabinet (1980–82). On 17 September 1982, a conflict of economic policy occurred between the governing SPD/FDP coalition partners. The FDP wanted to radically liberalise

4840-544: The East German counterpart of Kohl's CDU, which ran on a platform of speedy reunification. On 18 May 1990, Kohl signed an economic and social union treaty with East Germany. This treaty stipulated that when reunification took place, it would be under the quicker provisions of Article 23 of the Basic Law. That article stated that any new states could adhere to the Basic Law by a simple majority vote. The alternative would have been

4950-562: The Federal Republic as the five states of Brandenburg , Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Saxony , Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia . These states had been the original five states of East Germany before being abolished in 1952, and had been reconstituted in August. East and West Berlin were reunited as a city-state which became the capital of the enlarged Federal Republic. After the fall of the Berlin Wall , Kohl affirmed that former German territories east of

5060-553: The Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, their Parts and Components and Ammunition was adopted to prevent and provide a cooperative measure for illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms, their parts and components and ammunition. By adopting the protocol, the member states commit to adopt domestic criminal offences for illegal manufacturing, providing governmental licensing ammunition, and keeping track of

5170-777: The International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. On 9 December every year, UNODC commemorates the International Anti-Corruption Day. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) started this international campaign to raise awareness about the major challenge that illicit drugs represent to society as a whole, and especially to the young. The goal of the campaign is to mobilize support and to inspire people to act against drug abuse and trafficking. The campaign encourages young people to put their health first and not to take drugs. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has teamed up with

5280-430: The Office's funding comes from voluntary contributions, mainly from governments. These are the main themes that UNODC deals with: alternative development, anti-corruption , criminal justice , prison reform and crime prevention , drug prevention, treatment and care, HIV and AIDS , human trafficking and migrant smuggling , money laundering , organized crime , piracy , terrorism prevention. The World Drug Report

5390-717: The Palatinate and the Reconstruction of Political Parties after 1945"), under the supervision of the historian Walther Peter Fuchs. After that, Kohl entered business, first as an assistant to the director of a foundry in Ludwigshafen, then, in April 1960, as a manager for the Industrial Union for Chemistry in Ludwigshafen. In 1946, Kohl joined the recently founded CDU , becoming a full member once he turned 18 in 1948. In 1947, Kohl

5500-478: The UNCAC. There are three drug related treaties that guide UNODC's drug related programs. These are: The Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961 as amended by the 1972 Protocol; the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971 and the United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 1988. These three major international drug control treaties are mutually supportive and complementary. An important purpose of

5610-493: The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) to run this campaign as a focus on how corruption hinders efforts to achieve the internationally agreed upon MDGs, undermines democracy and the rule of law, leads to human rights violations, distorts markets, erodes quality of life and allows organized crime, terrorism and other threats to human security to flourish. Young people aged 15 to 24 account for an estimated 40 per cent of new adult (15+) HIV infections worldwide. In some parts of

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5720-464: The United Nations adopted the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC). The Convention came into force in December 2005. As of 9 November 2012, 140 countries had signed and 164 countries (States Parties) had ratified the UNCAC. UNODC serves as the Secretariat for the Conference of the States Parties (CoSP) to the UNCAC. UNCAC is a legally binding instrument (perhaps the only anti-corruption legally binding global instrument). A highlight of UNCAC

5830-605: The adoption and implementation of various crime-, drug-, terrorism-, and corruption-related conventions, treaties and protocols, as well as technical/financial assistance to said governments to face their respective situations and challenges in these fields. The office aims long-term to better equip governments to handle drug-, crime -, terrorism -, and corruption -related issues, to maximise knowledge on these issues among governmental institutions and agencies, and also to maximise awareness of said matters in public opinion, globally, nationally and at community level. Approximately 90% of

5940-480: The agency's Executive Director. Yuri Fedotov , the former Russian Ambassador to the United Kingdom, held this position from 2010 until 2019, when the United Nations Secretary-General announced that Ms. Ghada Fathi Waly of Egypt would replace him as both executive director of UNODC and Director General of the United Nations Office at Vienna . UNODC incorporates the secretariat of the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB). UNODC's Terrorism Prevention Branch

6050-435: The ammunition. In its resolution 55/61, the General Assembly recognized that an effective international legal instrument against corruption, independent of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime was desirable. The text of the convention was negotiated during seven sessions held between 21 January 2002 and 1 October 2003. The convention was adopted by the General Assembly on 31 October 2003. In 2003,

6160-606: The beginning was dominated by the CDU donations scandal . The party financing scandal became public in 1999, when it was discovered that the CDU had received and kept illegal donations during Kohl's leadership. Der Spiegel reported, "It was never suggested that Kohl benefited personally from political donations – but he did lead the party financial system outside of the legal boundaries, doing such things as opening secret bank accounts and establishing civic associations that could act as middle men, or procurement agencies, for campaign donations." While his reputation in Germany suffered in

6270-469: The collapse of the East German Communist regime in 1989, Kohl's handling of the East German issue would become the turning point of his chancellorship. Kohl, like most West Germans, was initially caught unaware when the Socialist Unity Party was toppled in late 1989. Well aware of his constitutional mandate to seek German unity, he immediately moved to make it a reality. Taking advantage of the historic political changes occurring in East Germany, Kohl presented

6380-409: The concept by which patients pay up front and are reimbursed, while increasing patient co-payments for hospitalisation, spa visits, dental prostheses, and prescription drugs. In addition, while a 1986 Baby-Year Pensions reform granted women born after 1921 one year of work-credit per child, lawmakers were forced by public protest to phase in supplementary pension benefits for mothers who were born before

6490-430: The cut-off year. After the 1987 federal elections Kohl won a slightly reduced majority and formed his third cabinet . The SPD's candidate for chancellor was the Minister-President of North Rhine-Westphalia , Johannes Rau . In 1987, Kohl hosted East German leader Erich Honecker – the first ever visit by an East German head of state to West Germany. This is generally seen as a sign that Kohl pursued Ostpolitik ,

6600-441: The deaths of both World Wars. The photograph, which depicted their minutes-long handshake became an important symbol of French-German reconciliation. Kohl and Mitterrand developed a close political relationship, forming an important motor for European integration . Together they laid the foundations for European projects, like Eurocorps and Arte . In 1985, alongside European leaders from 16 other countries, they founded Eureka :

6710-413: The discord as a starting point to evaluate chances of expanding the CSU on the federal level, such as having separate electoral lists in the states of North Rhine-Westphalia , Lower Saxony, Hamburg, and Bremen . He hoped to draw away right-wing voters from the FDP towards the CSU and went as far as having private meetings with industrialists in North Rhine-Westphalia. These attempts led to discomfort within

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6820-401: The early 1970s as a progressive within the CDU, he was elected national chairman of the party in 1973. After he had become party leader, Kohl was increasingly seen as a more conservative figure. In the 1976 and 1980 federal elections his party performed well, but the social-liberal government of social democrat Helmut Schmidt was able to remain in power. After Schmidt had lost the support of

6930-405: The evolution of global illicit drug markets. Through the World Drug Report , UNODC aims to enhance member states' understanding of global illicit drug trends and increase their awareness of the need for the more systematic collection and reporting of data relating to illicit drugs. United Nations Conventions and their related Protocols underpin all the operational work of UNODC. The convention

7040-415: The first time since the end of World War II in the 1969 election , Kohl was elected into the committee. While former chancellor Kurt Georg Kiesinger remained chairman of the CDU until 1971, it was now parliamentary chairman Rainer Barzel who led the opposition against the newly formed social-liberal coalition of Willy Brandt . As a member of the board and the executive committee, Kohl pushed towards

7150-433: The first two treaties is to codify internationally applicable control measures in order to ensure the availability of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances for medical and scientific purposes, and to prevent their diversion into illicit channels. They also include general provisions on trafficking and drug abuse. UNODC launches campaigns to raise awareness of drugs and crime problems. On 26 June every year, UNODC marks

7260-695: The five largest donors to UNODC's budget in descending order were: European Union , Canada , United States , the UN itself, and Finland . According to the Transnational Institute this explains why, until recently, UNODC did not promote harm reduction policies like needle exchange and heroin-assisted treatment . (This despite the actions of United Nations bodies (i.e. WHO and UNAIDS ), who support these policies.) UNODC promotes other methods for drug use prevention, treatment and care that UNODC sees as "based on scientific evidence and on ethical standards". The UNODC has been criticized by human rights organizations such as Amnesty International for not promoting

7370-448: The immediate years after the finance affair, it did not affect his reputation internationally; outside of Germany he was perceived as a great European statesman and remembered for his role in solving the five great problems of his era: German reunification, European integration, the relations with Russia after the fall of the Soviet Union and the Bosnian War . In 2002, Kohl left the Bundestag and officially retired from politics. Later, he

7480-419: The important details of the new coalition had been hammered out on 20 September, though minor details were reportedly still being negotiated as the vote took place. Though Kohl's election was done according to the Basic Law , it came amid some controversy. The FDP had fought its 1980 campaign on the side of the SPD and even placed Chancellor Schmidt on some of their campaign posters. There were also doubts that

7590-542: The inclusion of adherence to international human rights standards within its project in Iran , where there are "serious concerns regarding unfair trials and executions of those suspected of drug offences." UNODC has signed a partnership with the controversial Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Center , which was founded by Ali Bin Fetais Al-Marri , the General-Prosecutor of Qatar. Ali Bin Fetais Al-Marri has been accused of ill-gotten gains, corruption and support for Al-Qaeda terrorists by several media. He has also defended

7700-439: The labour market, while the SPD preferred greater job security. The FDP began talks with the CDU/CSU to form a new government. On 1 October 1982, the CDU proposed a constructive vote of no confidence which was supported by the FDP. The motion carried—to date, the only time that a chancellor has been deposed in this manner. Three days later, the Bundestag voted in a new CDU/CSU-FDP coalition cabinet, with Kohl as chancellor. Many of

7810-425: The latter going to Heiner Geißler , who would work closely with Kohl for the next twenty years. Kohl moved up into the federal board ( Vorstand ) of the CDU in 1964. Two years later, shortly before his election as chairman of the party in Rhineland-Palatinate, he failed at an attempt to be voted into the executive committee ( Präsidium ) of the party. After the CDU lost its involvement in the federal government for

7920-495: The legislative period. Kohl was elected minister-president of Rhineland-Palatinate on 19 May 1969, as the successor to Peter Altmeier. As of 2017, he was the youngest person ever to be elected as head of government in a German Bundesland . Just a few days after his election as minister-president, Kohl also became vice-chair of the federal CDU party. While in office, Kohl acted as a reformer, focusing on school and education. His government abolished school corporal punishment and

8030-517: The liberal FDP in 1982, Kohl was elected Chancellor through a constructive vote of no confidence , forming a coalition government with the FDP. Kohl chaired the G7 in 1985 and 1992. As Chancellor, Kohl was committed to European integration and especially to the Franco-German relationship ; he was also a steadfast ally of the United States and supported Ronald Reagan 's more aggressive policies to weaken

8140-434: The life imprisonment of a Qatari poet and human rights campaigner. 48°14′0″N 16°25′1″E  /  48.23333°N 16.41694°E  / 48.23333; 16.41694 Helmut Kohl Helmut Josef Michael Kohl ( German: [ˈhɛlmuːt ˈkoːl] ; 3 April 1930 – 16 June 2017) was a German politician who served as chancellor of Germany from 1990 to 1998 and, prior to German reunification , as

8250-511: The magazine Der Spiegel published a transcript of a speech held in November 1974, in which Strauß claimed that the Red Army Faction , a West German armed struggle group responsible for multiple attacks at the time, had sympathizers in the ranks of the SPD and FDP. The scandal deeply unsettled the public and effectively ruled out Strauß for the candidacy. On 12 May 1975, the federal board of

8360-495: The members of his coalition abstained. President Karl Carstens then dissolved the Bundestag at Kohl's request and called new elections. The move was controversial, as the coalition parties denied their votes to the same man they had elected Chancellor a month before and whom they wanted to re-elect after the parliamentary election. However, this step was condoned by the German Federal Constitutional Court as

8470-401: The membership base of the CDU and hampered both parties' chances in the upcoming elections. Kohl himself remained silent during these tensions, which some interpreted as a lack of leadership, while others such as future president Karl Carstens praised him for seeking a consensus at the centre of the party. In the 1976 federal election, the CDU/CSU coalition performed very well, winning 48.6% of

8580-527: The more protracted route of drafting a completely new constitution for the newly reunified country, as provided by Article 146 of the Basic Law. However, the Article 146 process would have opened up contentious issues in West Germany. Even without this to consider, by this time East Germany was in a state of utter collapse. In contrast, an Article 23 reunification could be completed in as little as six months. Over

8690-454: The new government had the support of a majority of the people. In answer, the new government aimed at new elections at the earliest possible date. Polls suggested that a clear majority was indeed in reach. As the Basic Law only allows the dissolution of parliament after an unsuccessful confidence motion, Kohl had to take another controversial move: he called for a confidence vote only a month after being sworn in, which he intentionally lost because

8800-488: The objections of Bundesbank president Karl Otto Pöhl , he allowed a 1:1 exchange rate for wages, interest and rent between the West and East Marks . In the end, this policy would seriously hurt companies in the new federal states . Together with Foreign Minister Hans-Dietrich Genscher , Kohl was able to resolve talks with the former Allies of World War II to allow German reunification . He received assurances from Gorbachev that

8910-459: The only candidate. Facing stiff opposition from the left wing of the party, Kohl initially expected only to serve as chairman for a couple of months, as his critics planned to replace him at another convention set for November in Hamburg . Kohl received the support of his party and remained in office, not least due to the lauded work of Kurt Biedenkopf , whom Kohl had brought in as Secretary General of

9020-635: The parochial school, topics that had been controversial with the conservative wing of his party. During his term, Kohl founded the University of Trier-Kaiserslautern . He also finalised a territorial reform of the state, standardising codes of law and re-aligning districts, an act that he had already pursued under Altmeier's tenure, taking the chairmanship of the Landtag's committee on the reform. After taking office, Kohl established two new ministries, one for economy and transportation and one for social matters, with

9130-519: The period from 1930 to 1982, when he became chancellor. The second part, published on 3 November 2005, included the first half of his chancellorship (1982–90). On 28 December 2004, he was air-lifted by the Sri Lankan Air Force, after having been stranded in a hotel by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake . Kohl was a member of the Club of Madrid . As reported in the German press, he also gave his name to

9240-610: The pre-1945 ethnic German Sudetenland . This treaty was a disappointment for the German Heimatvertriebene ("displaced persons"). Reunification placed Kohl in a momentarily unassailable position. In the 1990 elections  – the first free, fair and democratic all-German elections since the Weimar Republic era – Kohl won by a landslide over opposition candidate and Minister-President of Saarland , Oskar Lafontaine . He then formed his fourth cabinet . After

9350-476: The protocol is to protect the victims of trafficking in persons with full respect. The Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air is concerned with the aggravating problem of organized crime groups for smuggling persons. The protocol aims to combat and prevent transnational smuggling as well as to promote cooperative measures for enhancing protective measures for victims. The Protocol against

9460-535: The realm ) or improving prison conditions. It has its origins in the 16th century, and allowed a person to become a crown witness and avoid pleading guilty. Even at this early stage, the courts saw crown witness testimony as less reliable than other evidence, because it was encouraged in return for better treatment before the law. In 1751, regulations were introduced, stipulating that crown witness testimony should be corroborated with independent, third-party evidence. Crown witnesses known as supergrasses were used during

9570-405: The second half of the 20th century" by US presidents George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton . Kohl was born on 3 April 1930 in Ludwigshafen . He was the third child of Hans Kohl (3 January 1887 – 19 October 1975), a Bavarian army veteran and civil servant, and his wife, Cäcilie ( née Schnur; 17 November 1892 – 1 August 1977). Kohl's family was conservative and Catholic, and remained loyal to

9680-493: The seriousness of the problem that the crime poses, and gaining understanding from the member states of the importance of a cooperative measure. The convention is complemented by three different protocols: The Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children aims to provide a convergence in the states' domestic offences in the investigation and the persecution process. Another objective of

9790-519: The statement caused a major international backlash that threatened to halt German reunification, Kohl retracted his comments after knuckling under international rebuke, and assured both the United States and the Soviet Union that a reunified Germany would accept the Oder–Neisse line as the final border between Poland and Germany. In 1993, Kohl confirmed, via treaty with the Czech Republic, that Germany would no longer bring forward territorial claims as to

9900-563: The states declared independence. He played an instrumental role in resolving the Bosnian War . Domestically Kohl's policies from 1990 focused on integrating former East Germany into reunified Germany, and he moved the federal capital from the "provisional capital" Bonn back to Berlin , although he never resided there because the government offices were only relocated in 1999. Kohl also greatly increased federal spending on arts and culture. After his chancellorship, Kohl became honorary chairman of

10010-540: The strength of the friendship that existed between Germany and its former foe. During a November 1984 visit to the White House, Kohl appealed to Reagan to join him in symbolising the reconciliation of their two countries at a German military cemetery. Reagan visited Germany as part of the 11th G7 summit in Bonn; then he and Kohl visited Bergen-Belsen concentration camp on 5 May and the German military cemetery at Bitburg . There

10120-492: The term is to turn Queen's or King's evidence , depending on the sex of the reigning monarch. The term "turning approver" or "turn king's approver" was also historically used, especially in Ireland; an approver "not only admitted his own guilt to a crime but also incriminated his accomplices both past and present" in exchange for avoiding a death sentence (and obtaining a lesser penalty, such as life imprisonment or abjuration of

10230-413: The then little-known Merkel to national prominence by appointing her to the federal cabinet. A red–green coalition government led by Schröder replaced Kohl's government on 27 October 1998. He immediately resigned as CDU leader and largely retired from politics. He remained a member of the Bundestag until he decided not to run for reelection in the 2002 election . Kohl's life after political office in

10340-585: The vote. They were kept out of government by the center-left cabinet formed by the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) and Free Democratic Party (FDP), led by Social Democrat Helmut Schmidt . Kohl then retired as minister-president of Rhineland-Palatinate to become the leader of the CDU/CSU in the Bundestag . He was succeeded by Bernhard Vogel. In the 1980 federal elections , Kohl had to play second fiddle, when CSU leader Franz Josef Strauss became

10450-855: The war, as membership was mandatory for all boys of his age. Kohl was also drafted for military service in 1945; he was not involved in any combat, a fact he later referred to as the "mercy of late birth" (German: Gnade der späten Geburt ). Kohl attended the Ruprecht Elementary School, and continued at the Max-Planck-Gymnasium. After graduating in 1950, Kohl began to study law in Frankfurt am Main, spending two semesters commuting between Ludwigshafen and Frankfurt. Here, Kohl heard lectures from Carlo Schmid and Walter Hallstein , among others. In 1951, Kohl switched to Heidelberg University , where he studied history and political science . Kohl

10560-545: The whole proceeding unconstitutional. It denied their claim, but did set restrictions on a similar move in the future. The second Kohl cabinet pushed through several controversial plans, including the stationing of NATO midrange missiles, against major opposition from the peace movement. On 22 September 1984, Kohl met French president François Mitterrand at Verdun , where the Battle of Verdun between France and Germany had taken place during World War I. Together, they commemorated

10670-494: The world, and in some marginalized sub-groups, the most frequent modes of HIV transmission for these young people are unsafe injecting drug use and unsafe sexual activities. Because young people are also often more likely to use drugs, The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) targets this population with a campaign to raise awareness about drug use and its connection to the spread of HIV and AIDS. The slogan: "Think Before You Start ... Before You Shoot ... Before You Share"

10780-461: The young unemployed was extended to age 21. In 1986, a child-rearing allowance was introduced to benefit parents when at least one was employed. Informal carers were offered an attendance allowance together with tax incentives, both of which were established with the tax reforms of 1990, and were also guaranteed up to 25 hours a month of professional support, which was supplemented by four weeks of annual holiday relief. In 1984, an early retirement scheme

10890-676: Was capable of continuing to absorb refugees indefinitely. Before the meeting, it had widely been interpreted as criticism of Angela Merkel's handling of the crisis, but Kohl and Orbán refrained from attacking the chancellor directly, writing: "It is about a good future for Europe and peace in the world. The efforts of Merkel point in the same direction." In 2016, Kohl sued Random House , his former ghost writer Heribert Schwan and co-author Tilman Jens for publishing without his consent 116 comments allegedly made by Kohl during interviews in 2001 and 2002 and published in an unauthorised biography in 2014 called Legacy: The Kohl Protocols . By April 2017,

11000-476: Was elected as the youngest member of the state diet, the Landtag of Rhineland-Palatinate . In 1960, he was also elected to the municipal council of Ludwigshafen where he served as leader of the CDU party until 1969. When the chairman of the CDU parliamentary group in the Landtag, Wilhelm Boden , died in late 1961, Kohl moved up into a deputy position. Following the next state election in 1963, he took over as chairman,

11110-744: Was headed by International terrorism studies expert Alex P. Schmid from 1999 to 2005. The agency is a member of the United Nations Sustainable Development Group . In 2022–2023 it had an estimated biannual budget of US$ 822 million. UNODC was established to assist the UN in better addressing a coordinated, comprehensive response to the interrelated issues of illicit trafficking in and abuse of drugs, crime prevention and criminal justice, international terrorism, and political corruption. These goals are pursued through three primary functions: research, guidance and support to governments in

11220-493: Was introduced that offered incentives to employers to replace elderly workers with applicants off the unemployment register. In 1989, a partial retirement plan was introduced under which elderly employees could work half-time and receive 70% of their former salary "and be credited with 90 per cent of the full social insurance entitlement." In 1984, a Mother and Child Fund was established, providing discretionary grants "to forestall abortions on grounds of material hardship," and in 1986

11330-515: Was largely rehabilitated by his party. After taking office, Angela Merkel invited her former patron to the Chancellor's Office and Ronald Pofalla, the Secretary-General of the CDU, announced that the CDU would cooperate more closely with Kohl, "to take advantage of the experience of this great statesman". On 4 March 2004, he published the first of his memoirs, called Memories 1930–1982 , covering

11440-643: Was one of the co-founders of the Junge Union -branch in Ludwigshafen, the CDU youth organisation. In 1953, Kohl joined the board of the Palatinate branch of the CDU. In 1954, Kohl became vice-chair of the Junge Union in Rhineland-Palatinate , being a member of the board until 1961. In January 1955, Kohl ran for a seat on the board of the Rhineland-Palatinate CDU, losing just narrowly to the state's Minister of Family Affairs, Franz-Josef Wuermeling . Kohl

11550-584: Was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1992. Joseph Massino was also the first boss of one of the Five Families in New York City to turn state's evidence. A crown witness style system has operated in Germany since the RAF trials in the 1970s. The Justice Minister at that time, Diether Posser , wanted to enable witnesses to testify in return for a lenient sentence if there was little chance of successfully prosecuting

11660-422: Was still able to take up a seat on the board, being sent there by his local party branch as a delegate. During his early years in the party, Kohl aimed to open it towards the young generation, turning away from a close relationship with the churches. In early 1959, Kohl was elected chairman of the Ludwigshafen district branch of the CDU, as well as candidate for the upcoming state elections. On 19 April 1959, Kohl

11770-505: Was the first in his family to attend university. After graduating in 1956, Kohl became a fellow at the Alfred Weber Institute of Heidelberg University under Dolf Sternberger where he was an active member of the student society AIESEC . In 1958, Kohl received his doctorate degree in history for his dissertation Die politische Entwicklung in der Pfalz und das Wiedererstehen der Parteien nach 1945 ("The Political Developments in

11880-467: Was unsuccessful, as Kohl was re-elected as chairman with 79.52% of the votes. Späth, who did not stand for the position of chairman after support for Kohl became apparent, was punished by his party, failing to be elected as vice-chairman with just 357 of 731 votes. Geißler meanwhile was relieved of his duties as general secretary and replaced by Volker Rühe . Following the breach of the Berlin Wall and

11990-534: Was widely quoted in the press as saying, " Die macht mir mein Europa kaputt " ("That woman is destroying my Europe"). Kohl thus joined former German chancellors Gerhard Schröder and Helmut Schmidt in their similar criticisms of Merkel's policies in these two fields. In 2011, he also criticised Merkel for committing to nuclear power phaseout by 2022, following the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster , saying that

12100-449: Was widespread outrage when the media reported that this cemetery had the graves of SS soldiers but no Americans. Reagan considered that escalating Cold War confrontations with the Kremlin required his strong support for Kohl. Kohl's chancellorship presided over a number of innovative policy measures. Extensions in unemployment benefit for older claimants were introduced, while the benefit for

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