German Parliament calls for EU to back Russia sanctions amid Gazprom row. - Scholz clarifies stance on potential Afghan deportations.
Germany's Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) will make a government statement today in the Bundestag regarding the current security situation. During his address, Scholz will address approvals for Ukraine to use German weapons and the stabbing attack in Mannheim, which resulted in the demand for deportation of foreign criminals.
Last week, a 25-year-old Afghan injured several people, including a 29-year-old police officer who later succumbed to his injuries, during an anti-Islamic demonstration in Mannheim. Due to this incident, various federal states have started to push for the reintroduction of deportations to countries such as Afghanistan and Syria. Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) is currently considering this proposal.
Since the Taliban's takeover of Kabul in August 2021, Germany has not deported anyone to Afghanistan. A policy was in place to only forcibly return men, especially criminals and those suspected of planning terrorist attacks. There are numerous individuals from Syria and Afghanistan who have sought asylum in Germany in the past decade and have committed serious crimes or are suspected of terrorism.
FDP General Secretary Bijan Djir-Sarai is urging a more assertive approach to foreign criminals and perpetrators. "Anyone who commits serious crimes here must be able to be returned to countries like Afghanistan," said Djir-Sarai. He believes that there should be no taboos, but instead, the political will is required to effectively combat political Islam in Germany.
Thorsten Frei, the parliamentary manager of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group in the Bundestag, demands that Chancellor Scholz "present a plan to seriously combat political Islamism." Following Scholz's government statement, the Bundestag will vote on a CDU/CSU faction resolution aimed at combating political Islam.
The Union parliamentary group's spokesperson, Alexander Throm (CDU), is calling for negotiations with the radical-Islamic Taliban in Afghanistan regarding deportation agreements. "We must talk to the de facto government in Kabul about deportations, even if we don't like this government," said Throm to Handelsblatt.
Concerns over international law prevent deportation to Afghanistan. "The so-called non-refoulement is an absolute ban: Asylum seekers or refugees may not be returned to a country where they face inhumane treatment," said Heidelberg international law expert Matthias Hartwig to the Rheinische Post. "However, this means that they must be taken in here." Human rights expert Nele Allenberg also expressed similar concerns regarding refoulement bans.
Furthermore, Scholz must explain his approval for the use of German weapons on Russian territory to defend Kharkiv from Russian territory. There will also be a vote on a law designed to significantly accelerate approvals for wind turbines and other industrial facilities, as well as additional regulations related to the partial legalization of cannabis for adults that took effect in April. These regulations include a THC limit at the wheel and fines for violations, similar to the 0.5% alcohol limit.
In summary, today's Bundestag session will see Scholz address the approval of German weapons for Ukraine, the stabbing attack in Mannheim, and the ongoing debate over deporting foreign criminals, with relevant discussions on international law, wind turbines, and cannabis also taking place.
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