Recent discussion on migration policy engagement - Union consents following initial reservations
Following the reported knife attack in Solingen, believed to be carried out by a Syrian refugee, there was a initial gathering last week between the administration, labor union, and states regarding migration policy. CDU head Friedrich Merz had insisted on clear commitments prior to another gathering. This primarily entails raising the denial of refugees at German borders.
On Monday, German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) ordered provisional border checks at all German land borders as a response to unauthorized migration. She also disclosed that the government has conceived a strategy for rejecting refugees at the borders, which surpasses the existing scope. Nevertheless, she did not supply specifics initially.
The second encounter between Union party members, the federal government, and the states is set to commence at 3:00 PM at the Federal Ministry of the Interior. "We'll see if we share the same viewpoint and can move forward together," stated Thorsten Frei (CDU), Union's parliamentary manager, in Berlin before the meeting. The Union aims for a "significant leap" that should induce "real change."
Frei has engaged in two phone conversations with Faeser since Monday, prompting the Union to resume discussions. These conversations primarily revolved around rejecting refugees and the corresponding proposals from the federal government.
Frei advocates for rejecting those seeking asylum at the border, who hail from other EU nations. This would mark a stark contrast to current practice: Asylum seekers are presently transported from the border to reception centers within the federal territory, where it is then established whether another EU country bears responsibility for the asylum application in accordance with the so-called Dublin rules.
Frei conceded that the legal aspects pertaining to border rejections are "not completely clear." However, this does not imply that rejections cannot be initiated at the borders.
Green interior expert Irene Mihalic has already characterized such comprehensive rejections as "illegal." This "would not only infringe upon national law but also European law," she stated on ARD. Omid Nouripour, co-leader of the Greens, also expressed "substantial doubt" on Deutschlandfunk.
Nouripour was unaware of Faeser's specific plans on rejections: "We're all extremely curious about this," he reiterated. His party is open to discussing "anything that is lawful, practical, and effective."
Frei was "surprised" that Nouripour was unaware of Faeser's plans, raising concerns about how extensively her rejection strategy has been aligned within the traffic light coalition. The CDU politician proposed the federal government to push through the planned changes for a more stringent migration policy through the Bundestag in an expedited manner. A reform could potentially be finalized in the Bundesrat on September 27 and come into force as legislation.
In the meantime, severe criticism is arising from the Left: "Union, SPD, and FDP are competing to implement measures for seclusion," stated Left party leader Janine Wissler to the news agency AFP. "It's a contest of crudeness."
During the upcoming meeting between Union party members, the federal government, and the states, Thorsten Frei expressed the desire for a significant leap in migration policy that would induce real change. In their phone conversations since Monday, Frei and German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser primarily discussed the topic of rejecting refugees at the German borders.
