Germany Bundestag votes against law to limit migration
The Bundestag has rejected the CDU/CSU parliamentary group's hotly debated bill to limit migration.
31.01.2025, 17:50
31.01.2025, 20:02
SDA
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- The CDU and CSU have failed in the Bundestag with their draft "Influx Limitation Act".
- The debate in the Bundestag on Friday focused on the AfD's support for the bill.
- The Greens and SPD in particular scandalized the fact that the AfD had signalled its support for the proposal in advance - and that the CDU/CSU accepted this.
Chairwoman Petra Pau announced that the "Immigration Limitation Act" had not received a majority in the second reading. This meant that the third reading with the final vote was omitted.
According to Pau, 692 MPs cast their votes: 338 in favor, 349 against and 5 abstentions. In addition to representatives of the CDU/CSU, MPs from the AfD, FDP, BSW and non-attached members of parliament had previously signaled their approval. The SPD and the Greens had strongly criticized the plans.
Critics had warned that the "firewall" of other parties to the AfD would fall if a law was passed for which AfD votes would have been decisive. The details of how the MPs voted are yet to be revealed.
Baerbock speaks of "disgrace"
On Wednesday, a CDU/CSU motion for the rejection of migrants at Germany's borders, which has no binding effect, received a majority. Representatives of the CDU/CSU, AfD, FDP and non-attached MPs had agreed to it, which sparked outrage.
Tens of thousands of people took to the streets on Thursday alone - including in Berlin, Freiburg, Hanover and Munich. The CDU/CSU also faced opposition from within its own ranks: former Chancellor Angela Merkel intervened and called it "wrong" to allow a majority with votes from the AfD for the first time.
It is now a matter of correcting "the disgrace of Wednesday", Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) said in the debate on Friday. SPD parliamentary group leader Rolf Mützenich called out to Merz: "The fall from grace will stay with you forever. But the gateway to hell, yes, I say it, we can still close the gateway to hell together."
Heated negotiations and mutual accusations
The debate on the bill began three and a half hours late. The FDP initially proposed sending the bill back to the committees to prevent a possible new resolution with decisive votes from the AfD. This was followed by hectic consultations between the CDU/CSU, SPD, Greens and FDP, but no agreement was reached. The FDP then abandoned its proposal.
Friedrich Merz, head of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group, once again firmly rejected the accusation of collaboration with the AfD in the votes on a stricter migration policy. In response to SPD parliamentary group leader Mützenich's demand that he should apologize for reaching out to the AfD, the CDU chairman and Union chancellor candidate said during the debate on his parliamentary group's draft bill: "Nobody from my party is reaching out to the AfD."
The parliamentary secretary of the AfD parliamentary group, Bernd Baumann, accused the CDU/CSU of pursuing an untrustworthy course in migration policy. Baumann said in the Bundestag that Merz wanted to lead the way, but was beginning to dither and prance and was negotiating with the red-green party. In addition, Union minister presidents had already announced that they would not approve the "influx limitation law" in the Bundesrat.
The core of the draft law was a suspension of family reunification for refugees with restricted protection status. Many Syrians in Germany belong to this group. In addition, the powers of the federal police were to be extended. They should be able to arrange for deportation themselves if they encounter people who are required to leave the country at train stations, for example. In its draft, the CDU/CSU also insisted that the aim of "limiting" the influx of foreigners be reinstated in the Residence Act.