Germany Migration policy: German cabinet approves further reforms
The cabinet of the German government has initiated a further reform in order to implement the change of course in migration policy announced by the Christian Democrats.
04.06.2025, 15:34
SDA
According to the government spokesperson, it decided on a formulation aid from the Ministry of the Interior for the coalition parties regarding the designation of countries as safe countries of origin: according to this, the federal government can in future make this classification by statutory order - i.e. without the approval of the Bundesrat, the chamber of the federal states.
This is because federal states with government participation from the Greens and the Left have blocked such plans in the past. The amendment that has now been passed, on which the Bundestag still has to decide, is intended to speed up asylum decisions for people from these countries and facilitate the deportation of rejected asylum seekers.
The aim is to complete the "asylum turnaround", said Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt, who, after the cabinet meeting, answered questions from MPs on the rejections of asylum seekers at the borders that he had ordered. Germany's neighboring countries have generally responded positively to this change of course. Politicians from the Left and the Greens criticized the fact that the minister spoke to representatives of the press before being questioned by the committee.
Safe countries of origin: Maghreb states
The classification of additional countries by regulation is possible because it should not extend to the right to asylum for politically persecuted persons enshrined in the Basic Law, which only very few people seeking protection are granted anyway. Most asylum seekers who are granted protection status in Germany are granted refugee protection or so-called subsidiary protection for people who are at risk of serious harm in their country of origin.
The classification of safe countries of origin is not an administrative act, but an encroachment on individual protection rights, criticized Green MP Filiz Polat. "Anyone who acts in this way is shaking the foundations of our rule of law."
In the coalition agreement between the Christian Democrats and Social Democrats, it was agreed to first reclassify Algeria, India, Morocco and Tunisia as safe countries of origin.
No more lawyers from the state
According to the cabinet's decision, a provision according to which people affected by detention pending deportation or custody to leave the country are to be given a lawyer appointed by the state is also to be removed. This obligation had only been included in the right of residence during the time of the previous government at the insistence of the Greens. It also applies to asylum seekers who are to be transferred to another EU country in the so-called Dublin procedure and for whom so-called transfer custody has been ordered.
Less family reunification, no more naturalization after three years
According to current plans, this Friday the Bundestag will have its first reading on the planned suspension of family reunification for those entitled to subsidiary protection. In contrast to refugees who do not have restricted protection status, this is already limited to 1,000 family members per month.
The abolition of naturalization for particularly well-integrated foreigners after just three years, as agreed in the coalition agreement, also passed the cabinet last week. The Christian Democrats (CDU and CSU) were opposed from the outset to the regulation, which they called "turbo naturalization" and which had been introduced by the previous coalition under Social Democratic Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD). Their argument was that no one could integrate into German life that quickly.
Rejection of asylum seekers
On Dobrindt's orders, asylum seekers are now also being turned back at Germany's borders. The federal government is sticking to this practice even after an urgent decision by the Berlin Administrative Court. The court had ruled that the rejection of three Somalis during a border check at Frankfurt (Oder) station on May 9 was unlawful. Without clarification as to which EU state was responsible for the asylum application of those affected, they should not be turned away. The three people concerned had been sent back to Poland.
Federal Interior Minister Dobrindt said that he did not fear that federal police officers could be held liable for their actions at the border. "It is completely absurd that police officers could be prosecuted if they do what they are supposed to do," said the CSU politician on the ARD talk show "Maischberger". The mandate had been formulated by politicians. "And that's why I think that's a far-fetched assessment."
Mihalic: Police are not beholden to politics
Irene Mihalic, Parliamentary Secretary of the Green parliamentary group, said that it was remarkable that Dobrindt denied that he was putting police officers in a difficult situation. "I just want to remind you that police officers are not beholden to politics, but are bound exclusively by law and order," she said.
If officers are of the opinion that an official instruction is unlawful, they can lodge an objection (remonstrate). According to reports, this has not yet happened with regard to the tightened border controls.
Left-wing politician met affected Somalis
According to Dobrindt, the Somalis, who approached the court with the support of Pro Asyl, had already attempted to enter Germany on May 2 and 3 - in each case without submitting an application for asylum. They only did so on the third attempt on May 9.
Left-wing domestic politician Clara Bünger, however, assumes that the three migrants also expressed their wish to apply for asylum in Germany on the first two attempts to enter the country. She said: "I met the three myself. They assured me credibly that they had made it very clear that they wanted to apply for asylum."
Around 140 rejected asylum seekers
People who did not apply for asylum and foreigners with a re-entry ban had already been rejected before the order issued by Dobrindt on May 7. According to the Federal Ministry of the Interior, the change has resulted in around 140 additional rejections.
After a meeting of the Interior Committee, which Dobrindt attended, Marcel Emmerich, the Greens' interior policy spokesperson, said: "The figures speak for themselves and expose this border blockade circus for what it is: expensive symbolic politics at the expense of the economy, commuters, federal police and people seeking protection."
