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Reuters
9 hours ago
- General
- Reuters
Explainer: Court blow to Germany's new government on asylum: what happens now?
BERLIN, June 3 (Reuters) - A court ruling that Germany could not simply return to Poland three asylum seekers who entered the country in May dealt a blow to the signature migration policy of Chancellor Friedrich Merz's new government: turning illegal migrants back at the borders. Here is a closer look at a court case and its consequences: Police in May sent back to Poland three Somalis who crossed Germany's eastern border by train and requested asylum. With the help of asylum rights organisation Pro Asyl, they challenged this in a Berlin court. On Monday, a Berlin court issued an emergency injunction saying Germany had broken the law. Under the European Union's so-called Dublin rules - hitherto honoured mainly in the breach - refugees can only claim asylum in the first EU country they enter. The Berlin court said that before sending them back, authorities should have started the "Dublin process" of establishing which country was responsible for assessing their asylum claim, whether or not that was Poland. Germany only has land borders with other EU countries and Switzerland meaning that, in principle, nobody who arrives by land is eligible for asylum in the country. During his election campaign, Merz promised to crack down on migration on his government's first day in office. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt, a fellow conservative, announced the policy of returning asylum seekers at the border. Following the ruling, he said the court's decision applied only in this particular case, set no precedent, and that the government would continue turning away asylum seekers crossing the land borders. This is true in a narrow sense: the ruling only applies to the three Somalis and does not bind any other judges. Other judges are bound by the same laws, however, so there is no reason to think they will rule differently. "The German government will lose every single case on this point, all the way up to the European Union's court," migration policy expert Gerald Knaus told Stern magazine. While migration is a signature issue for Merz and Dobrindt, their Social Democrat coalition partners are less comfortable with it. Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig said in a tight-lipped statement that "the court's ruling must be followed". Legal experts say that, to be successful, German authorities would have to reject migrants before they enter the country's territory - something for which they would need neighbouring countries' cooperation. But Poland is no less racked by migration debates than Germany. Prime Minister Donald Tusk's government has just been dealt a heavy blow by Sunday's election victory of a right-wing candidate for whom reducing the number of migrants was a key topic. In the short term, it is likely to be difficult to get neighbouring countries, all of which feel more exposed to migration pressure than Germany, to accede to Dobrindt's demands. Perhaps not. The far-right Alternative for Germany was quick off the mark in condemning the "failure" of the new government's migration policy. But the next major regional election is almost a year away and overall migration levels, initially driven up by the Syrian civil war and Russia's invasion of Ukraine, have been on a downward trend for several years, independent of any policies adopted by individual EU countries.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
German Cabinet backs clampdown on family reunification for refugees
The German Cabinet on Wednesday approved restrictions on family reunification for certain groups of refugees and a tightening of citizenship laws. Chancellor Friedrich Merz's new government, which took office earlier this month, has promised a crackdown on migration and has already introduced tougher checks on the country's borders. The two draft bills, proposed by Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt, must still be passed in the Bundestag, Germany's lower house of parliament. The family restrictions target immigrants in Germany with so-called "subsidiary protection status," who are allowed to remain in the country due to the threat of political persecution in their homelands, despite lacking formal refugee status. The bill, seen by dpa, says that almost 400,000 residents have subsidiary protection. Around three-quarters are reportedly Syrian nationals, many of whom fled the country's devastating civil war. The residents will no longer be allowed to bring their family members to Germany for an initial period of two years, restoring a policy which previously applied from 2016 to 2018. Since then, a total of 12,000 family members of residents with subsidiary protection status have been able to move to Germany each year. As a measure of comparison, 229,751 first-time asylum applications were filed in Germany last year, which indicates that the government's move targets only a small group of migrants. Dobrindt has argued that the policy sends a signal that Germany's new government is changing course on migration, seeking to reduce "pull factors." Unlike other proposals to clamp down further on the numbers of migrants settling in Germany, the measure is unlikely to face legal obstacles. But critics argue that the move closes legal, safe pathways for refugees to enter Germany. "This is a catastrophe for affected families," said Tareq Alaows from refugee group Pro Asyl. Migration expert Herbert Brücker said studies show that "separation from one's own family is psychologically very stressful for refugees, and thereby also hinders their integration." Citizenship laws tightened The second bill passed by Merz's Cabinet on Wednesday aims to row back on a reform introduced by the previous government to encourage residents to gain German citizenship faster. The reform's main changes will not be reversed: most immigrants will still be able to apply for German nationality after five years of residence - down from eight years previously - and dual citizenship is still allowed. However, a special path for "particularly well integrated" residents to become German nationals after just three years, termed "turbo-naturalization" by critics, is to be closed. Brücker said the measure had been aimed at "top migrants, highly qualified and with a high income." "The withdrawal of accelerated naturalization therefore has a negative impact on the very group of people we want to have in Germany," he argued. However, the Expert Council on Integration and Migration has welcomed the move, arguing that it corrects the impression that access to German citizenship is too easy.
Straits Times
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Germany halts Afghan refugee admission flights pending new government decision
BERLIN - Germany's outgoing government has suspended flights for voluntary admissions of Afghan refugees for two weeks pending a decision by the next government on how to proceed, the foreign ministry said on Wednesday. Earlier this month, the future governing coalition of conservatives and Social Democrats (SPD) agreed to curb irregular migration, reflecting a mounting public backlash after several violent attacks by migrants as well as increasing pressure on housing and other infrastructure. After the Western allies' hasty withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, Germany felt a strong obligation to protect former local staff of German agencies and humanitarian organisations there, and established several programmes to resettle them along with particularly vulnerable Afghans. According to the Federal Foreign Office, a total of 36,000 people have entered Germany under such voluntary programmes, including a good 20,000 who were local staff and their families. Around 2,600 people approved for admission by Germany's Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) are currently waiting in Pakistan for a German visa and charter flights, 350 of whom are former local employees, the foreign office added. In addition to receiving admission approval, applicants must complete a visa process and security screening involving the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, the Federal Police, and the Federal Criminal Police Office. The current Greens-led foreign ministry said that existing admission confirmations were legally binding and could only be revoked under specific conditions. This meant it could be difficult for the new government to cancel them regardless of who takes over the interior or foreign ministries. Germany's outgoing government arranged several resettlement flights in recent weeks, drawing criticism from conservative politicians who argued that the SPD-Greens coalition was rushing to admit new arrivals before it hands over. "For several weeks now, we've been seeing planes arrive in Germany on a daily basis. I believe that's wrong. It creates the impression that an outgoing federal government is trying to establish facts on the ground in its final days," Thorsten Frei, a parliamentary leader of the conservative bloc, said. ProAsyl, a German NGO providing legal help to asylum seekers, warned that halting the final rescue flights would leave vulnerable Afghans at risk of torture or death if returned to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. "The German government itself has determined their endangerment ... A return or deportation to Afghanistan could mean torture or even death for them," said Wiebke Judith, ProAsyl legal policy spokesperson. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Germany halts Afghan refugee admission flights pending new government decision
By Riham Alkousaa BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany's outgoing government has suspended flights for voluntary admissions of Afghan refugees for two weeks pending a decision by the next government on how to proceed, the foreign ministry said on Wednesday. Earlier this month, the future governing coalition of conservatives and Social Democrats (SPD) agreed to curb irregular migration, reflecting a mounting public backlash after several violent attacks by migrants as well as increasing pressure on housing and other infrastructure. After the Western allies' hasty withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, Germany felt a strong obligation to protect former local staff of German agencies and humanitarian organisations there, and established several programmes to resettle them along with particularly vulnerable Afghans. According to the Federal Foreign Office, a total of 36,000 people have entered Germany under such voluntary programmes, including a good 20,000 who were local staff and their families. Around 2,600 people approved for admission by Germany's Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) are currently waiting in Pakistan for a German visa and charter flights, 350 of whom are former local employees, the foreign office added. In addition to receiving admission approval, applicants must complete a visa process and security screening involving the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, the Federal Police, and the Federal Criminal Police Office. The current Greens-led foreign ministry said that existing admission confirmations were legally binding and could only be revoked under specific conditions. This meant it could be difficult for the new government to cancel them regardless of who takes over the interior or foreign ministries. Germany's outgoing government arranged several resettlement flights in recent weeks, drawing criticism from conservative politicians who argued that the SPD-Greens coalition was rushing to admit new arrivals before it hands over. "For several weeks now, we've been seeing planes arrive in Germany on a daily basis. I believe that's wrong. It creates the impression that an outgoing federal government is trying to establish facts on the ground in its final days," Thorsten Frei, a parliamentary leader of the conservative bloc, said. ProAsyl, a German NGO providing legal help to asylum seekers, warned that halting the final rescue flights would leave vulnerable Afghans at risk of torture or death if returned to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. "The German government itself has determined their endangerment ... A return or deportation to Afghanistan could mean torture or even death for them," said Wiebke Judith, ProAsyl legal policy spokesperson.
The Star
23-04-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Germany halts Afghan refugee admission flights pending new government decision
BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany's outgoing government has suspended flights for voluntary admissions of Afghan refugees for two weeks pending a decision by the next government on how to proceed, the foreign ministry said on Wednesday. Earlier this month, the future governing coalition of conservatives and Social Democrats (SPD) agreed to curb irregular migration, reflecting a mounting public backlash after several violent attacks by migrants as well as increasing pressure on housing and other infrastructure. After the Western allies' hasty withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, Germany felt a strong obligation to protect former local staff of German agencies and humanitarian organisations there, and established several programmes to resettle them along with particularly vulnerable Afghans. According to the Federal Foreign Office, a total of 36,000 people have entered Germany under such voluntary programmes, including a good 20,000 who were local staff and their families. Around 2,600 people approved for admission by Germany's Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) are currently waiting in Pakistan for a German visa and charter flights, 350 of whom are former local employees, the foreign office added. In addition to receiving admission approval, applicants must complete a visa process and security screening involving the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, the Federal Police, and the Federal Criminal Police Office. The current Greens-led foreign ministry said that existing admission confirmations were legally binding and could only be revoked under specific conditions. This meant it could be difficult for the new government to cancel them regardless of who takes over the interior or foreign ministries. Germany's outgoing government arranged several resettlement flights in recent weeks, drawing criticism from conservative politicians who argued that the SPD-Greens coalition was rushing to admit new arrivals before it hands over. "For several weeks now, we've been seeing planes arrive in Germany on a daily basis. I believe that's wrong. It creates the impression that an outgoing federal government is trying to establish facts on the ground in its final days," Thorsten Frei, a parliamentary leader of the conservative bloc, said. ProAsyl, a German NGO providing legal help to asylum seekers, warned that halting the final rescue flights would leave vulnerable Afghans at risk of torture or death if returned to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. "The German government itself has determined their endangerment ... A return or deportation to Afghanistan could mean torture or even death for them," said Wiebke Judith, ProAsyl legal policy spokesperson. (Reporting by Riham Alkousaa, Markus Wacket and Miranda Murray; editing by Mark Heinrich)
