German politician proposes seven-year limit on marriages

[GaryC 7]

MUNICH, Germany (AFP) - A conservative German politician on Wednesday proposed making marriage contracts expire after seven years, with the option to renew for those not feeling the proverbial itch.

"I propose that marriages lapse after seven years," Gabriele Pauli told reporters in Munich, the capital of the largely Catholic southern state of Bavaria.

"This would mean that one will only commit for a fixed period and will actively have to renew your vows if you still want to continue."

Pauli, 50, has been divorced twice.

The proposal is part of her manifesto as she prepares to contest the leadership of Bavaria's governing party, the ultra-conservative Christian Social Union (CSU), next week.

The CSU is the sister party of Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats and the leadership is being vacated by a strategic ally of the chancellor, Edmund Stoiber, who has also been premier of Bavaria for more than a decade.

Stoiber in January agreed to step down at the end of September after a party rebellion led by Pauli.

Shortly afterward he announced his decision, Pauli caused a stir by posing for magazine pictures as a dominatrix wearing long latex gloves.

She is facing stiff competition for the CSU leadership from Agriculture Minister Horst Seehofer and regional Economy and Transportation Minister Erwin Huber.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070919/od_af...at_070919190221

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

They could do this, wouldn't make a difference. Couples meant to last longer will renew. Couples meant to break up will, at a time of their choosing (they won't wait for the license to expire to break up, y'know). This is silly.

[mawilson 2,133]

They could do this, wouldn't make a difference. Couples meant to last longer will renew. Couples meant to break up will, at a time of their choosing (they won't wait for the license to expire to break up, y'know). This is silly.

Even if the legal obligations of marriage expired along with the marriage contract?

[Kazan' Tiger 1]

Sounds like it has more to do with forcing people to pay a renewal fee over any thing else. "Do you take this woman for the next seven years to be your lawfully wedded wife?" And if I don't "renew" What? I'm automatically "divorced" and loose all my marital rights? No thank you-!!!

[Kathryn41 3,205]

and there are some people who think politics are boring!!!

[GaryC 7]

And then there is the one: "I know when I am going to die, my birth certificate has an expiration date on it!"