2024-09-10 21:26:57
The Union has declared the talks with the German federal government and the states about tightening migration policy a failure after around two hours of debate. The CDU/CSU and the coalition “did not come to a common conclusion” during the discussions on Tuesday in Berlin, said CDU politician Thorsten Frei. The traffic light government regretted the breakdown. The mutual blame game began immediately after the discussions failed.
Shortly after 5 p.m., the Union’s representatives left the Interior Ministry in Berlin, where consultations between the federal government, the states and the CDU/CSU had previously taken place. Frei explained the reason for the cancellation: “What the traffic light coalition has proposed will not lead to more rejections, not even a single one.” The Union had made such rejections of migrants at the German borders a condition for its participation in the discussion, which was intended to explore the possibilities for a jointly coordinated, tougher approach to irregular migration.
After the talks failed, FDP leader Christian Lindner proposed a summit meeting of the governing coalition with CDU leader Friedrich Merz. “The Union’s rejection of the asylum summit must not be the last word,” wrote the finance minister on X. Merz was to negotiate with the Chancellor, Economics Minister Robert Habeck and himself personally. “We will solve the problem together,” added Lindner. Germany needs control and consistency when it comes to migration.
SPD Interior Minister Nancy Faeser regretted that the talks had broken down. “We had really good talks, even if it sometimes sounds a little different,” she said afterwards. The German government had put forward a proposal on how refugees could be accommodated near the border and quickly turned away. She stressed that there should be “no risky exceptions to the current European law.”
Her proposal included, among other things, the accommodation of certain refugees in detention centers near the border. This regulation should be applied to those migrants who seek asylum in Germany, but whose asylum procedure is the responsibility of another EU member state. The German federal police should examine detention capacities and apply to the court for accommodation. On Monday, Faeser had already ordered controls at all German land borders and announced that more rejections than before would be made.
As ÖVP Interior Minister Gerhard Karner announced on Tuesday evening, “effective rejections at the European external borders are necessary and must be implemented quickly.” Austria, together with 15 other EU member states, is a pioneer in enforcing asylum procedures in third countries. “I am very confident that Germany will also join this broad alliance in order to comprehensively reform the asylum system and combat illegal migration,” said Karner.
Meanwhile, during an ORF election debate on Tuesday evening, Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) made it clear that Austria would also do so if Germany were to invoke the emergency clause in the matter of border protection. It cannot be that “the pressure is simply dumped on Austria,” he stressed. “If Germany – a huge neighbor of Austria – begins to create a situation of uncertainty here through idiosyncratic legal interpretations, we will stand up against it and clearly protect our borders.”
The representatives of the traffic light coalition stressed that the proposals submitted were in line with European law – unlike the Union’s demands. “You cannot expect a federal government to contradict the law,” said FDP Justice Minister Marco Buschmann. The Union’s demands for rejections at the German borders went beyond what was legally possible.
Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock of the Greens stressed that, especially after the terrorist attacks in Mannheim and Solingen, measures cannot be proposed that are not legally feasible. In addition, Europe is closely monitoring the course Germany takes in migration policy. “We would only be playing into the hands of the terrorists who want to attack our democracy if we as Europeans now disintegrate over this and go it alone at national level,” said Baerbock.
However, both the government in Berlin and the Union stressed that further talks on tightening migration policy were possible. “We are ready to continue the conversation,” said Buschmann. CDU politician Frei also stressed further willingness to cooperate. “We will not retreat into a corner of sulking,” he said. If the coalition makes proposals, the Union will “support them constructively.”
Shortly after the talks broke down, blame began to be assigned, especially between the Union and the Greens – and this was one and a half weeks before the state elections in Brandenburg. “The traffic light coalition is capitulating to the challenge of irregular migration,” wrote CDU leader Friedrich Merz on X. The German federal government is “incapable of action and leaderless.” CSU regional group leader Alexander Dobrindt declared: “The traffic light coalition is not capable of taking effective measures to limit irregular migration.”
Green parliamentary secretary Irene Mihalic made serious accusations against the Union: “It is a tragedy that the Union is not living up to its responsibility for our country and is continuing to pursue a policy of show effects without substance,” she said. Green leader Omid Nouripour accused the Union of “farce.”
AfD leader Alice Weidel criticized the traffic light parties “and above all the Greens for continuing to adhere to an irresponsible policy of open borders.” For them, “their ideology is more important than the security of their citizens.”
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**Germany’s Shift in Migration Policy: A Turning Point in 2024**
Table of Contents
Germany’s Shift in Migration Policy: A Turning Point in 2024
In a significant move, Germany has taken a sharp U-turn in its migration policy, marking a departure from the “welcoming measures” associated with the Merkel era [[1]]. The country is set to become less attractive to asylum-seekers, with measures such as more deportations, faster asylum procedures, and fewer cash payouts taking effect in 2024 [[2]].
Recently, talks between the German federal government, states, and the CDU/CSU union broke down over the issue of tightening migration policy. The CDU politician Thorsten Frei expressed disappointment that the proposed measures would not lead to more rejections of migrants at the German borders [[3]]. The Union had made this a condition for its participation in the discussion, which aimed to explore possibilities for a jointly coordinated, tougher approach to irregular migration.
In response to the failed talks, FDP leader Christian Lindner proposed a summit meeting with CDU leader Friedrich Merz to find a solution. Germany needs control and consistency in its migration policy, Lindner emphasized. Meanwhile, SPD Interior Minister Nancy Faeser regretted the breakdown of talks, but stressed that any measures proposed must be in line with European law.
The German government’s proposal included the accommodation of certain refugees in detention centers near the border, where they could be quickly turned away. This regulation would apply to those migrants whose asylum procedure is the responsibility of another EU member state. The German federal police would examine detention capacities and apply to the court for accommodation.
Austria, which has been a pioneer in enforcing asylum procedures in third countries, has expressed support for Germany’s efforts to reform its asylum system and combat illegal migration. Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner emphasized the need for effective rejections at the European external borders, which must be implemented quickly.
The traffic light government in Berlin has stressed that its proposals are in line with European law, unlike the Union’s demands. The Union’s demands for rejections at the German borders went beyond what is legally possible, according to FDP Justice Minister Marco Buschmann. Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock of the Greens warned that proposing measures that are not legally feasible would play into the hands of terrorists.
Despite the breakdown of talks, both sides have expressed willingness to continue the conversation. Further talks on tightening migration policy are possible, with Buschmann emphasizing that the government is ready to continue the conversation. CDU politician Frei also stressed further willingness to cooperate, saying that the Union will support constructive proposals made by the coalition.
As Germany navigates this significant shift in its migration policy, the country’s approach will be closely monitored by Europe and the world. The failure of talks between the government and the Union has sparked a blame game, with each side accusing the other of being incapable of action or leaderless. However, it is clear that Germany’s migration policy is undergoing a significant transformation, one that will have far-reaching consequences for the country and its European partners.
References:
Germany’s Migration Policy Reform Talks Collapse: What’s Next?
The talks between the German federal government and the states about tightening migration policy have collapsed after only two hours of debate. The CDU/CSU and the coalition were unable to come to a common conclusion, leading to a mutual blame game between the parties involved. This failure to agree on a jointly coordinated approach to irregular migration has sparked concerns about the future of Germany’s migration policy.
The Union’s Demands
The Union had made the rejection of migrants at the German borders a condition for its participation in the discussion. CDU politician Thorsten Frei explained that the proposals put forward by the traffic light coalition would not lead to more rejections, not even a single one. This led to the Union’s representatives walking out of the Interior Ministry in Berlin, where the consultations had taken place.
The Traffic Light Coalition’s Proposal
The German government had proposed accommodating certain refugees in detention centers near the border, which would be applied to those migrants who seek asylum in Germany but whose asylum procedure is the responsibility of another EU member state. This proposal was seen as a way to quickly turn away refugees and prevent irregular migration.
Austria’s Stance
Austria’s Interior Minister Gerhard Karner announced that effective rejections at the European external borders are necessary and must be implemented quickly. Austria, along with 15 other EU member states, is a pioneer in enforcing asylum procedures in third countries. Karner expressed confidence that Germany would also join this broad alliance to comprehensively reform the asylum system and combat illegal migration.
The European Dimension
Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock of the Greens stressed that measures cannot be proposed that are not legally feasible, especially after the terrorist attacks in Mannheim and Solingen. She warned that Europe is closely monitoring the course Germany takes in migration policy, and that disintegrating over this issue would play into the hands of terrorists who want to attack democracy.
Germany’s Migration Policy: A History
Germany’s history on immigration and migration policy has been complex and multifaceted. The country has seen a significant influx of migrants in recent years, leading to debates about how to integrate them into German society. The new Skilled Immigration Act ([[2]]) aims to make it easier for skilled workers with vocational training and individuals with practical knowledge to immigrate to Germany.
Governance of Migrant Integration
The governance of migrant integration in Germany is a complex issue, with various policies and laws in place to regulate the integration of migrants into German society. The Residence Act ([[3]]) governs the temporary suspension of deportation, or Duldung, and other aspects of migrant integration.
What’s Next?
Despite the collapse of the talks, both the government in Berlin and the Union have expressed a willingness to continue the conversation on tightening migration policy. It remains to be seen whether a compromise can be reached, and what the implications of this failure will be for Germany’s migration policy and the European Union as a whole.
the collapse of the migration policy reform talks in Germany has sparked concerns about the country’s ability to effectively manage migration and integrate migrants into society. As the debate continues, it is essential to consider the complex history of immigration in Germany and the various policies and laws in place to govern migrant integration.
