On Thursday afternoon, the state premiers will meet with Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) for regular consultations. The focus will be on migration policy. The Union-led states in particular are pushing for asylum procedures to be made possible in third countries outside the European Union.
Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) had the matter examined by experts, many of whom were skeptical. The results will be discussed at the meeting on Thursday. Faeser also wants to give her position on the matter.
Before the summit in Berlin, the leaders of the CDU and CSU called on the federal government to take much more decisive action against irregular migration. “The citizens now expect concrete results instead of ever new announcements,” CDU leader Friedrich Merz told the newspapers of the Funke Media Group. CSU leader Markus Söder, for example, called for more speed in the implementation of the deportation of serious criminals to Afghanistan and Syria announced by Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD).
The planned relaxation of the deportation ban for Syria and Afghanistan will also be discussed. The problem: Afghanistan is ruled by the radical Islamic Taliban, while Syria is ruled by dictator Bashar al-Assad. No one wants to negotiate with either of them about the return of their citizens, so they are looking for detours via neighboring countries.
The chairman of the Conference of Minister Presidents, Boris Rhein (CDU), is demanding that the federal government make clear statements on limiting irregular migration at the meeting. “The federal government must now deliver on key issues of migration policy.” The limit has long been reached among citizens and in many cities and municipalities. “We see this in schools, in daycare centers and on the housing market.”
Among other things, Rhein called for greater efforts to conclude repatriation agreements. “I expect the Chancellor himself to lead the negotiations with the relevant countries and make the issue a top priority.” In doing so, levers such as the withdrawal of visa commitments and even the cancellation of development aid must be used.
In addition to migration, the meeting will address the introduction of compulsory natural hazard insurance, for example in the event of flood disasters. The Federal Council had called for this on Friday in light of the recent extreme weather events. However, Federal Justice Minister Marco Buschmann has rejected this.
Instead, the FDP politician is relying on insurers to be obliged to offer insurance. Nationwide, only about every second house is financially protected with natural hazard insurance against flooding, heavy rain, landslides or snow pressure – even though the risks are increasing due to climate change.
