Latest news with #FunkeMediaGroup
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
German minister backs mobile phone ban at primary school
German Education Minister Karin Prien has called for a ban on private mobile phone use in primary schools, amid European debate on children's access to smartphones and social media. "The body of research is becoming increasingly clear: excessive screen time leads to poorer academic performance, reduced social skills and mental health problems," the conservative politician told the newspapers of the Funke Media Group, in remarks seen by dpa. "We need to address this very quickly and very intensively," Prien added. In Germany, the country's federal states are responsible for issues relating to education, including the handling of mobile phones in schools. Prien, who was previously the education minister of the northern state of Schleswig-Holstein has clear views, however. "Private mobile phone use should be banned in primary schools. In secondary schools, age-appropriate rules should be established wherever possible," she said. The issue is currently being examined in Germany at state level. Berlin will support the process by providing the scientific basis, Prien added. "From my experience, it is about largely, but age-appropriately, banning private mobile phone use in schools," she said. Experience showed that schools and most parents are grateful for clear, uniform guidelines. Earlier in the week, EU youth and education ministers considered a range of measures to curb the risks to young people from excessive smartphone use.
Local Germany
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Local Germany
How is Germany's future government planning to shake up immigration?
For months, senior members of the CDU have been open about their determination to introduce a stricter migration regime in Germany. In the last few days, incoming Chancellor Friedrich Merz and future head of the chancellery Thorsten Frei, both of the CDU, have spoken publicly about their intention to take a tougher line 'from day one'. Following the approval of the coalition pact by all three parties, the new government is set to take office on May 6th. Though many of the measures are set to target so-called 'irregular migration', the new black-red coalition has also set dual nationals in its sights and will be tightening some parts of Germany's 2024 citizenship law. These are some of the key migration policies the new government has in the pipeline. Stricter controls on Germany's borders Speaking to journalists from the Funke Media Group this week, Frei announced that 'anyone who tries to enter Germany illegally should expect to be stopped at the German border from May 6th.' 'No one can apply for asylum in the country of their choice,' he added. 'Under European law, this must happen where someone first enters the European Union." READ ALSO: Germany's next government could make it easier to strip citizenship from dual nationals The CDU politician indicated that the future federal government had already opened discussions with countries including France, Austria and Poland, and that plans to 'expand and intensify identity checks at Germany's borders (were receiving) a great deal of approval.' Advertisement According to the Federal Ministry of the Interior and Communities, 'since the temporary checks were reintroduced at Germany's borders with Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria and Switzerland, the Federal Police have detected approximately 52,000 illegal entries and refused entry to some 30,000 people.' These stricter controls have also resulted in delays at the border for individuals and goods. READ ALSO: Who is the new German minister in charge of immigration? Crackdown on asylum and family reunification At a small CDU conference on Monday, Friedrich Merz announced that deportations would be carried out on a larger scale starting on day one of his chancellorship. According to Merz, the new government will turn away people without entry permits at the border and repatriate migrants en masse if their applications for asylum are rejected. According to incoming Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU), the government will not only step up refusals at the border, but will also suspend family reunification and carry out deportations to places like Syria and Afghanistan. Officers of the German Federal Police (Bundespolizei) stop a car near the country's border with Poland. Photo: Jens Schlüter / AFP The government has already paused flights that were meant to transport Afghans at risk of Taliban persecution to Germany, drawing criticism from human rights groups. Other plans include putting Ukrainian refugees on asylum benefits rather than the more generous Bürgergeld unemployment benefits. Scrapping 'express' track to German citizenship Introduced by the traffic-light coalition in 2024, the bulk of Germany's dual national law is set to remain in place - despite the longstanding opposition of the Union. However, the 'fast-track' route to citizenship for well integrated foreigners will come to an end. Under this clause in the Nationality Act, people with at least C1 German and outstanding achievements in work, academia or social projects could apply for naturalisation after just three years. Advertisement Slammed as 'turbo' naturalisation by the Union parties, the black-red coalition has pledged to end this route to citizenship. For migrants married to German citizenship, however, the three-year residence requirement will remain, and standard citizenship with B1 German will still be possible after five years. READ ALSO: Germany to end three-year 'turbo track' for citizenship Revoking German citizenship from 'extremist' dual nationals In a more controversial plan, the new black-red coalition will consider stripping German citizenship from "terror supporters, antisemites and extremists" who also hold another nationality. In the plans drafted so far, the parties specifically say they want to examine the possibility of withdrawing citizenship from dual nationals "under constitutional law". Currently, the constitution only allows for revocation of citizenship in very extreme cases. The idea has been widely criticised as a move towards a "two-class" citizenship system in which people with a migration background are treated differently from other Germans. People show both passports, the German and the Croatian and Azerbaijani passports, during a photo session in support of the dual citizenship law. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Jens Kalaene Encouraging skilled labour immigration According to the coalition agreement, the new government will keep – and even strengthen – the Skilled Immigration Act (FEG) that was introduced by the traffic-light coalition in November 2023. Concrete plans include the creation of a digital 'Work and Stay Agency', designed to make it easier for workers to move to Germany. In the coalition pact, the parties say the agency will "bundle and accelerate all processes relating to labour migration and the recognition of professional and academic qualifications" in Germany. Advertisement In addition, the government is planning to create a central office for recognising foreign qualifications and will aim to complete the recognition procedure within eight weeks. It will also establish special counselling at the Federal Employment Agency to assist people with foreign qualifications and experience. Skilled immigrant workers are explicitly identified in the coalition agreement as a key part of the new government's plans to drive economic growth. READ ALSO: How Germany is making it easier for skilled workers to get an EU Blue Card How long will the border controls remain in place? That's still unclear - but the signs point to Germany, like neighbouring Denmark, attempting to make them a much more permanent thing. As a Schengen state, Germany is one of 28 countries to have officially abolished border controls at their shared borders to allow for the free movement of goods and people. However, in October 2023, Germany reintroduced 'temporary' border checks on the Polish, Czech Republic, Austrian and Swiss borders, followed by checks on borders with France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark in September the following year. According to the Schengen Borders Code, member states are allowed to reintroduce controls in the face of a serious threat to public order or security, 'for a limited period of time and as a last resort.' In their coalition agreement, the CDU/CSU and SPD agreed to continue controls at all German borders 'in coordination with our European neighbours.' However, there continues to be disagreement between the factions about what 'coordination' means.
Euronews
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
Germany's new government vows tougher border controls once Merz takes office
ADVERTISEMENT Germany's new government intends to tighten migration policy and reject undocumented asylum seekers at the country's borders as soon as Friedrich Merz is sworn in as chancellor next week, his incoming chief of staff said on Wednesday. Thorsten Frei, the next head of the Chancellery, said the stricter rules would apply from 6 May — although it remains to be seen whether there will be pushback from Brussels due to potential conflicts with European law. "Anyone who tries to enter Germany illegally must expect that the German border will be the end of the road from 6 May," Frei said. The government will "expand and intensify identity checks at the German borders from day one", he told the Funke Media Group. Germany's Social Democrats (SPD) on Wednesday approved a deal to join a new coalition government led by Merz's centre-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU). "No one can apply for asylum in the country of their choice," Frei said. "According to European law, this must happen where someone enters the European Union for the first time. That is almost never Germany." FILE: Friedrich Merz, right, Chairman of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group, and Thorsten Frei in Berlin, Germany, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. AP Photo While Germany is technically allowed to reject individuals at its borders who lack valid documentation, there are legal limits in place, particularly regarding asylum seekers. Under EU asylum law, the 1951 Refugee Convention and the German Asylum Act, Germany is generally required to let individuals who claim asylum at its borders into the country to process their claim. Germany significantly tightened controls in September 2024, when it implemented temporary checks at all nine of its land borders in an effort to curb irregular migration. The measure, which was eventually extended, sparked the ire of Germany's neighbours including Poland, whose leader Donald Tusk claimed the move was fundamentally opposed to the principle of Europe's passport-free Schengen area. Other countries, such as Austria, have expressed reluctance to take back migrants who have been turned away from the German border. Controversial measure It is unclear to what extent Germany's decision to uphold strict border checks and potentially turn asylum seekers away at its border will be welcomed by other countries in the bloc and the European Commission, which has previously emphasised the need for a collective and unified approach to migration. Frei announced that the incoming government was already coordinating the upcoming changes with neighbouring countries such as France, Austria and Poland. The planned change of course has already received "very broad approval", Frei claimed. The Commission did not immediately react to the announcement made by the upcoming German government. It has repeatedly said that pushbacks at the border are against EU law and urged member states to guarantee fair and equal access to the asylum process. Brussels has given Poland the green light to temporarily suspend the right to asylum, however, this exceptional provision only applies to cases where migration flows are being weaponised by foreign actors, which does not apply to the situation in Germany. Related Germany extends border checks amid migration debate ahead of election Germany announces temporary border checks at all land borders Frei has made it clear Merz's new government intends to reshape the country's immigration policy to one focused on control and limitation. ADVERTISEMENT "We have made very clear agreements on returns to Afghanistan and Syria, for example, on border controls and pushbacks, on our initiatives at European level," he said earlier this month. The incoming coalition government's agreement stops short of permanent border checks and broad entry bans for undocumented migrants, instead proposing that asylum seekers arriving from another EU state would be refused entry. The agreement says that the measures should be implemented "in coordination with our European neighbours." The SPD insisted this should require the explicit consent of neighbouring countries, a precondition the CDU previously deemed unnecessary. ADVERTISEMENT
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump policies pushing scientists abroad, professor says
Amid financial cuts to research in the United States under President Donald Trump, an economics expert suggests that Germany seize the opportunity to recruit top scientists from the US. In an interview with the Funke Media Group published on Thursday, Ulrike Malmendier, an economics professor at the University of California, said Trump's administration had caused "great concern for scientific freedom and reliable financial support" in the US. "The development in the US is a huge opportunity for Germany and Europe. I know that a lot of people are thinking about leaving," she said. Malmendier drew a historical parallel, recalling how in the 1930s, many scientists fled Nazi Germany, contributing to the rise of the US as a global leader in scientific research. "Now we can reverse that," Malmendier said. While acknowledging that German universities cannot easily compete with elite US institutions in terms of research conditions, Malmendier emphasized that the time is ripe for change. She called for substantial investment in Germany's scientific infrastructure, particularly in fields where the country already excels, such as artificial intelligence, life sciences, and climate technology. "We could attract the attention of the best researchers and shift the balance to Europe," she added. When asked if Trump aimed to end free science, the economist responded, "I fear so – particularly regarding diversity and equality. The impact on science and the economy is devastating."
Yahoo
15-02-2025
- Yahoo
Recent terrorist attacks cast shadow over Germany's Carnival season
A series of recent terrorist attacks in Germany is casting a shadow over preparations for Carnival season, which begins in earnest this year at the end of February. "Security measures have been adapted. There are additional requirements compared with last year," German Carnival Association head Klaus-Ludwig Fess told dpa. Celebrations kick off on February 27 with Weiberfastnacht, the night when women dictate events, and move on to Carnival Weekend culminating on Shrove Monday - known in Germany as Rose Monday - on March 3, when large parades are held in the major Carnival centres of Cologne, Dusseldorf and Mainz, and smaller events throughout the Rhineland. Carnival is a period of merrymaking before the solemn Christian fasting season of Lent, which starts on Ash Wednesday and ends on Easter Sunday. Ash Wednesday falls on March 5 this year. Fess said that some parades had already been called off for security reasons. Following on from a car-ramming attack on a Christmas market in Magdeburg, bollards are being erected to block entry to vehicles. "The routes are being re-evaluated. We are taking a look at where vehicles could drive into a parade," Fess said. Six people were killed in Magdeburg, and almost 300 were injured. On Thursday, a car ploughed into a demonstration in Munich, injuring 36. Local authorities were tightening their restrictions in response, Fess said. Interviewed by the Funke Media Group, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said: "The federal and state-level police authorities are doing all in their power to guarantee the safety at gatherings of this kind." According to the association, around 3,500 parades are planned across Germany. The association draws together more that 5,300 groups from all 16 states.
