Marriage

Gabriele Pauli, a controversial politician has shocked Germany by suggesting the so-called "seven-year itch" could be dealt with by limiting marriage contracts to that period.

Twice-divorced Gabriele Pauli, who is attempting to become leader of the ultra-conservative Christian Social Union (CSU), believes anyone wanting to stay married beyond seven years should have to apply for an extension. The partnership would otherwise be automatically dissolved.

The 50-year-old maverick last year rattled the all-white and male-dominated hierarchy of her party, which rules the Catholic southern state of Bavaria, by posing for magazine photographs dressed as a dominatrix in latex and leather.

Speaking at the launch of her manifesto, she said: "I firmly believe marriages of the future should be locked in to a time period.

"The basic approach is wrong ...many marriages last just because people believe they are safe. My suggestion is that marriages expire after seven years. I know that after this period many marriages reach a crisis point.

"It is false to go around with a notion that marriages are always super and intact."

The CSU has dominated Bavarian politics since the Second World War. It is the sister party of the conservative Christian Democratic Union - which is led by Angela Merkel, the German chancellor.

Ms Pauli's first marriage lasted 11 years and the second six years - before ending in divorce in February.

She said: "A contract for seven years means you will have to commit for a fixed period and you will have to renew your vows should you want to carry on." (as per scotsman.com)

Well, I take this as quite a notion especially since it's coming from the CDU center of Germany, i.e., Munich itself.

But, come on, Pauli, 7 years?! You are suggesting too specific a 'solution' to what you seem to regard as a fundamentally fluid notion. An itch does not have to be 7 years old, does it?



graph per Spiegel.de