Hesse's Leader Rhein advocates for reform in the asylum system
Before the discussions on migration policy among the traffic light coalition, the Union, and the federal states, Hesse's Minister President, Boris Rhein, suggested a shift in migration policy. Speaking to the Funke media group, Rhein, a CDU politician, argued that due to Germany's terrorism issues linked to migration, the coalition should govern accordingly. He proposed a change in migration policy, suggesting that the federal government should sustain border controls and unfairly reject individuals at the border.
Moreover, Rhein advocated for the consistent implementation of the Dublin rules at the European level. According to these rules, asylum procedures should primarily occur in the EU country where refugees first entered. He further urged for more countries to be classified as safe and for deportations to take place to countries such as Afghanistan and Syria. Lastly, the Minister President advocated for stripping criminals and threats of their citizenship.
Assault in Solingen
Rhein spoke out in the wake of the knife attack at Solingen's city festival, which left three people dead and eight others injured, some seriously, over a week ago. The Federal Prosecutor's Office suspects an Islamic motive behind the crime, with the alleged perpetrator, a 26-year-old Syrian, having been previously proposed for deportation to Bulgaria, where he first entered the EU.
The incident sparked a debate on deportations and knife bans. In response, the federal government proposed a security package. This package includes strengthening the weapons law, additional measures against violent Islamism, and substantial amendments to residence and asylum laws. On Tuesday, the federal government will convene with the states and the Union to discuss further steps and the practicality of these measures.
The Commission has been urged by Hesse's Minister President, Boris Rhein, to sustain border controls and strictly enforce the Dublin rules, following his proposal for a shift in migration policy due to Germany's terrorism concerns linked to migration. In light of the Solingen knife attack, where the alleged perpetrator, a Syrian, had been previously proposed for deportation, Rhein advocated for more countries to be classified as safe and for deportations to take place to countries like Afghanistan and Syria.
