For many years, the EU countries have not come together on the subject of asylum. Now there should be a new attempt. But the course of the federal government – in which they themselves are involved – triggers criticism, especially among the Greens.
Hundreds of Greens members openly criticize plans to reform EU asylum law – and the course of their own top staff in the debate. Around 730 Greens members are behind a letter to leading politicians in their own party, which was first reported by “Spiegel” and which is also available to the German Press Agency in Berlin.
It says: “Even if the negotiating situation in Brussels is certainly difficult and we are sure that you are fighting for the implementation of the coalition agreement, it is still difficult to understand why the German negotiating position does not come close to the contents of the coalition agreement.”
Consultations on the asylum system
On Thursday in Luxembourg, the EU interior ministers will discuss the reform of the Common European Asylum System (CEAS), which has been controversial for years. Among other things, it is about the question of whether there should be preliminary checks on asylum applications at the EU’s external borders. The federal government has shown itself open to this, but wants to ensure that minors under the age of 18 and families with children do not have to go through these procedures. Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and Economics Minister Robert Habeck (both Greens) made similar statements. Baerbock said that border procedures are highly problematic – but the EU Commission’s proposal is the only chance to come to an “orderly and humane distribution procedure” in the foreseeable future.
Reports on the federal government’s priorities “shook her,” according to the letter from the Greens. “The expansion of safer third countries, poorer legal protection, mandatory border procedures in detention camps and a massive tightening of the failed Dublin system are just some of the tightening of the law that is part of the proposed reform of the asylum system.”
As is usual with Greens, those addressed are addressed by their first names. According to “Spiegel”, Baerbock, Habeck, Family Minister Lisa Paus and the party leaders and the leaders of the parliamentary group are meant. “Only with a courageous, realistic, pragmatic and human rights-oriented view will we be able to shape migration policy in Germany and Europe in such a way that it works,” the letter says. According to “Spiegel”, the signatories include the Hamburg Senator for Justice Anna Gallina, the parliamentary group leader in the Thuringian state parliament, Astrid Rothe-Beinlich, and Green Youth Co-Chief Timon Dzienus.
Although the Greens have traditionally campaigned for asylum and human rights in addition to climate protection, leading representatives have recently said little about the latter. Only in the past few days did Baerbock and Habeck demand that families with children be exempted from possible preliminary checks on asylum applications at the EU’s external borders – the votes for the letter were collected over the weekend.
Greens are trying to position themselves as a social force
The party sees itself under pressure in several areas, above all in climate protection in the building sector, i.e. the much-discussed heating law. At the same time, the Greens have been trying for a long time to profile themselves as a social force, keyword: basic child security. For important Greens, the focus has recently been on these issues, at least publicly – a narrowing that is apparently met with resistance.
Green MPs are also among the last 31 to sign another letter warning against weakening the right to asylum – even though most of the supporters are from the SPD, including Interior Minister Nancy Faeser. The “Spiegel” also reported on this. It was launched by the Brand New Bundestag initiative, which, in its own words, is committed to “progressive, future-oriented politics”.
Among other things, the signatories fear “conditions similar to detention” at the external borders and deportations while court proceedings are still ongoing. In addition to members of the Bundestag, the letter also includes members of the state parliaments from Lower Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein, North Rhine-Westphalia and Berlin.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
