Chancellor Scholz wants to deport “more and faster” in order to maintain the welfare state
Olaf Scholz
Source: dpa/Christoph Soeder
Olaf Scholz spoke out clearly in favor of more and faster deportations. You have to have the strength to tell people that they can’t stay here. Irregular migration is not progressive. He called on the traffic light parties to settle their dispute.
bChancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) defends his federal government’s goal of tighter control of immigration to Germany. “Anyone who wants unlimited immigration has to be honest and say that we would then not be able to maintain our welfare state as we have it today,” said Scholz in an interview with the “Mirror”. “We would have to accept conditions like those that exist in other countries around the world, with problematic parallel structures,” he added. Nobody could seriously wish for that. “That’s why it doesn’t make us inhuman,” Scholz continued in the conversation.
The government bears responsibility “for ensuring that our community functions”. This also includes “a certain toughness”. “You have to have the strength to tell people that unfortunately they can’t stay here,” said Scholz. Liberal democracy must show that it is capable of acting and that the state can keep things under control. “It is neither humanitarian nor progressive if there is large-scale irregular migration in which people put life and limb at risk,” said Scholz.
Germany must be open and modern at the same time, “because we need workers from other countries,” emphasized the Chancellor. As a state, we have “the right to define who we want to accept here”. This included urgently needed skilled workers and talent. “And this does not affect the right to offer protection to all those who are fleeing political persecution, who are running away from war and death,” said Scholz. The fundamental right to asylum arises from German history.
Scholz calls on traffic light parties to end arguments
In the interview, Olaf Scholz also called on the traffic light parties to end the disputes of the past two years. “Within the government coalition we have had an absurd, ongoing argument about political decisions,” he told “Spiegel.”
“The government’s balance sheet is recognized as good, we have achieved a lot,” said Scholz. “Although in such a constellation with three coalition partners it doesn’t work in such a way that I as Chancellor can say: I’ll listen to your opinion – and then decide alone what we do.” Nevertheless, it is clear that a lot of things have to happen faster.
Scholz assured Jews in Germany of society’s solidarity. “We stand by your side. The state will do everything to protect Jewish life in Germany. And we will not allow ourselves to be divided as citizens of this country. Anyone who attacks Jews, who insults them or hurts them, is attacking us all,” he said.
Scholz was referring to anti-Semitic riots in Germany. We must “resolutely oppose everyone who shouts anti-Semitic slogans, burns the flags of the State of Israel, who blatantly cheers the death of people as a result of the Hamas terrorist attack,” he said. “That has no place with us. Hamas’s actions were inhumane and barbaric; no one should applaud them. Especially not in the country whose history is inextricably linked to the Shoah.”