Party conference - SPD leadership presents compromise motion on migration policy
The SPD leadership goes into the party conference with a compromise motion on the contentious issue of migration, which accommodates critics of the government's course in some areas. Among other things, it supports the controversial sea rescue of refugees in the Mediterranean and calls for the reunification of family members of refugees to be made easier. On the subject of returning rejected asylum seekers, the motion adopts a much more reserved tone than Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
Jusos criticize "vocabulary of the right-wing mob"
In recent weeks, the German government's migration policy had caused some resentment on the left wing of the SPD, which was mainly sparked by a sentence from the Chancellor in a "Spiegel" interview: "We must finally deport on a large scale those who have no right to stay in Germany." The leadership of the Jusos, who make up a quarter of SPD members of parliament, criticized this as a demand "straight out of the vocabulary of the right-wing mob".
Almost 60 individual motions were brought together
The party leadership received almost 60 motions on the subject of migration for the party conference from Friday to Sunday in Berlin, which have now been brought together in a key motion entitled "Germany is a country of immigration - we shape immigration". On Thursday, the SPD board and executive committee discussed the draft, which is available to the Deutsche Presse-Agentur and was first reported on by the "Tagesspiegel".
More speed only for the deportation of criminals
When returning rejected asylum seekers, the draft emphasizes the promotion of voluntary departure. With regard to forced deportation, it only states: "However, if voluntary departure is rejected, deportation is necessary." The motion only calls for more speed in the deportation of asylum seekers who have committed criminal offenses. "Our procedures here are too lengthy."
Sea rescue should "not be criminalized"
The motion also supports the controversial state funding for the rescue of refugees from the Mediterranean by aid organizations. "Sea rescue is an obligation under international maritime law. Civilian sea rescue that takes on this task and humanitarian responsibility to save people in distress must therefore not be criminalized and will continue to be supported by us."
Italy regards the sea rescue operations of foreign aid organizations in its waters as interference in internal affairs. The Bundestag has decided to fund them with two million euros a year until 2026. Scholz is skeptical about state funding.
Facilitating family reunification for migrants
The SPD also wants to make family reunification possible again for those "in need of subsidiary protection" - "because it is an important prerequisite for successful integration into our society". This group of migrants includes those who have been granted neither asylum nor refugee protection, but who are threatened with the death penalty or torture in their home countries.
The SPD, Greens and FDP had agreed in the coalition agreement to lift restrictions for this group. However, one reason why this project has not yet been prioritized by Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) could be the increase in the number of asylum seekers since 2022.
SPD party conference
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- During the SPD party conference, the leadership proposed a compromise motion on migration policy, addressing the controversial sea rescue of refugees in the Mediterranean and facilitating family reunification for migrants.
- Olaf Scholz, the Chancellor of Germany, has a more reserved stance on the return of rejected asylum seekers compared to the SPD's compromise motion.
- Critics of the government's migration course within the SPD have been accommodated in some areas by the compromise motion, which calls for easier family reunification and supports sea rescue operations.
- Jusos, a left-wing faction within the SPD, criticized the Chancellor's use of the "vocabulary of the right-wing mob" in relation to the government's migration policy, particularly regarding the deportation of asylum seekers.
- The Bundestag and various parties in Germany, including the SPD, have been discussing and funding controversial sea rescue operations by aid organizations in the Mediterranean, despite criticisms and reservations from Chancellor Scholz and Italy.
- The SPD motion emphasizes the need for more speed in the deportation of asylum seekers who have committed criminal offenses but promotes voluntary departure as the preferred method for returning rejected asylum seekers.
- The controversial issue of migration policy has sparked numerous motions and discussions within the SPD, with almost 60 individual motions on the subject being submitted for the party conference in Berlin.
- The SPD also advocates for lifting restrictions on family reunification for asylum seekers who are in need of subsidiary protection, citing successful integration as a benefit, despite potential challenges in implementation due to an increase in the number of asylum seekers since 2022.
Source: www.stern.de
