CDU in favor of charitable work for refugees

Migration policy - CDU in favor of charitable work for refugees

According to the opposition CDU, Thuringia should not launch any further state programs to take in refugees and encourage migrants to do community work. This is the aim of a resolution proposed by the CDU parliamentary group, which is to be put to the vote in the state parliament next week, as a spokesperson for the parliamentary group announced in response to an inquiry. According to reports, the contents of the CDU's demands have already been discussed in the cabinet.

Among other things, the CDU's motion calls for measures "to ensure that the obligation to take up work opportunities" in state and municipal facilities is utilized in Thuringia. CDU migration politician Stefan Schard said that it was about charitable work, for example in the vicinity of accommodation facilities. "For us, this is not just a question of integration, but also a question of employment, learning, fitting in and the willingness to make a contribution." It is only important that this does not jeopardize regular jobs.

The CDU parliamentary group is also calling for an end to state reception programs. The motion states that the state parliament should call on the state government to ensure that "no new voluntary admission programs for migration are set up in 2024 and that the existing admission programs are phased out". Thuringia currently has a state admission program for nationals from Afghanistan and Syria.

Reimbursement of costs for local authorities

The motion is a package on migration policy with a total of five points. It also includes the demand for a state-wide introduction of a payment card for refugees. Minister President Bodo Ramelow (Left Party) announced this for the whole of Thuringia on Wednesday. The CDU also wants to ensure that 100% of the money from the federal government is passed on to the municipalities. With regard to Ukrainian refugees, the state is to extend a law on the reimbursement of certain costs incurred by local authorities.

Green parliamentary group leader Astrid Rothe-Beinlich announced that her group would not be voting in favor of the motion.

No agreement on the motion

Left Party parliamentary group leader Steffen Dittes told the German Press Agency that there were no agreements on the motion. "There are no agreements between the parliamentary groups on motions for resolutions." Ramelow had made it clear to CDU parliamentary group leader Mario Voigt which steps the state government would now take to implement a resolution of the Minister Presidents' Conference. Initial decisions on this had already been made in the cabinet on Tuesday. "If the CDU parliamentary group also takes parliamentary action to accompany the budget, then we will take a look at this and also evaluate it," said Dittes.

The federal and state governments had already agreed in November that a payment card should be introduced for benefits to asylum seekers.