The focus: Union demands clear measures from the traffic lights

The focus: Union demands clear measures from the traffic lights

In Berlin there are important discussions on migration, and the excitement in the political landscape is noticeable. While the traffic light coalition of SPD, Greens and FDP warns of high expectations, the Union parties bring clear demands on the table. The deputy government spokeswoman Christiane Hoffmann advises to wait for the results before high hopes are formulated. An indication that a cautious line is being pursued within the government.

The CDU has positioned itself strongly. Friedrich Merz, the chairman of the party, clearly commented on the challenges of migration in Germany. Even if he will not participate in the talks, he is committed to a drastic reduction in immigration. Merz criticized that the focus should not be on topics such as gun law or refugee deportions, but the still uncontrolled immigration pressure. His message was clear: If no agreement was reached during the talks, further dialogues would be obsolete.

The Union claims

The Union, chaired by Merz and the Prime Minister of the federal states, calls for a fundamental turn in migration policy. Boris Rhein, the Hessian Prime Minister, presented a list of measures called for by the Union, including a continuation of the controls at the internal borders. In addition, consistent rejection of migrants at the German borders is required. The return to Afghanistan and Syria as well as the withdrawal of citizenship for criminals are also part of these claims.

The CDU tip not only sees the need to reform the existing asylum system, but also rely on a strict application of the Dublin rules at European level. It is required that rejected asylum seekers are returned to safe countries of origin. These strict measures are in the foreground of the Union, which wants to set a sign.

The role of the security package

As part of these negotiations, the “security package”, which was passed by the federal government last week, is of central importance. It serves as a response to the violent offensive in Solingen, which led to the public. This package in parliament is on uniform support, since it includes measures to faster rejected asylum seekers, to combat Islamist terrorist activities and to tighten weapons.

The proposals include, among other things, that people for whom another European country is responsible should not receive any social benefits in Germany as long as this country is ready for withdrawal. In view of the needs for better handling of asylum applications, a corresponding working group of the federal and state governments have been launched, which should find solutions for improving the Dublin procedure.

point out contradictions

The federal government's migration officer, Reem Alabali-Radovan, warns of a one-sided look at migration policy. She emphasizes that measures to combat terror and crime should not result in a blanket discrediting of migrants. Careful and differentiated handling is essential to adequately master the challenges of migration.