After hours of deliberations, there were numerous agreements at the federal-state summit. Representatives of the parties assess the results very differently. An overview.
The heads of government of the federal states and Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) negotiated until Tuesday morning, particularly on the subject of migration. After hours of consultation, the federal and state governments agreed to cut benefits for asylum seekers and extend controls at the borders with neighboring countries. In addition, the federal government should pay a flat rate of 7,500 euros per refugee annually in the future.
The federal government also wants to check whether asylum procedures are possible outside Europe. And asylum procedures should be processed more quickly. This should be completed in three months, especially for people from countries with a recognition rate of less than five percent. After the agreement, Scholz spoke of a “very historic moment”.
SPD:
The SPD party leader Saskia Esken looks critically at the demand for migration centers in non-European third countries. There are many models that are currently being discussed and that one can think about, Esken told the news portal t-online. In this case I have Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD), however, “politely pointed out that countries of origin would first have to be found that would be willing to set up and manage such migration centers,” said the SPD politician. In addition, significant legal questions arose.
Scholz and Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser had already commented critically on the proposals and their feasibility. SPD party leader Lars Klingbeil However, it appeared open. In an interview with ZDF, Klingbeil said: “If that ultimately means that the asylum procedures can also be carried out there, then I think you have to consider whether you should go this route.”
Esken sees it differently than her co-chairman – however, she understands and shares “the intention to end the deaths in the Mediterranean and to dry up smuggling crime,” said the SPD party leader.
Greens:
For the municipalities there is now “significantly more planning security and significantly more money,” said Green Party leader Omid Nouripour in the ARD “Morgenmagazin”. “Help is needed for the burdened communities and we are getting it underway now and then in the end it will be better for everyone.” The agreed three and a half billion euros for the municipalities are “a big step forward”.
We have to make sure that “the whole thing is not just on paper, but that we now get around to tackling all of these measures.” Instead of talking about further ideas in migration policy, it is important to now deal with the implementation of the decisions. “Bring calm and implement it” is now the order of the day.
Migration 2023
Most refugees come to Germany from these countries
Also Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck welcomed the agreement between the federal and state governments. “The Germany Pact on Migration lays important foundations for taking action in the face of the major challenges of migration and solving concrete problems,” he explained after the Prime Minister’s Conference. “It is important that all democratic parties work together here. This is not a given and is hard-earned, but essential decisions have been made for this with the migration pact.”
FDP:
The FDP has expressed satisfaction with the federal-state agreement to finance migration costs. The planned restriction on benefits for asylum seekers could lead to savings of one billion euros, wrote Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner on Tuesday morning on Platform X, formerly Twitter. This would not only relieve the burden on states and municipalities. “This measure also reduces the attractiveness of the German welfare state,” said the FDP leader.
FDP parliamentary group leader Christian Dürr described it as a “milestone” in German migration policy on
Federal Minister of Justice Marco Buschmann told the German Press Agency: “Too many people are coming to Germany who are dependent on our welfare state. It is an important sign that the federal and state governments have jointly agreed to reduce disincentives for migration.” There is scope for the amount and duration of benefits under the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act. With the decision by the federal and state governments, it is clear that there is a consensus to use these. “We must not waste any time now, but must work quickly to achieve a migration turnaround through fewer pull factors,” warned Buschmann.
Union:
CDU leader Friedrich Merz has called for the federal-state agreements to limit migration to be implemented quickly. The Union parliamentary group leader made it clear on Tuesday that he expects the federal government to pass the relevant laws in the Bundestag and Bundesrat before the end of the year. Only then could the proposals come into force on January 1, 2024. Overall, Merz spoke of a “step forward” and welcomed, among other things, planned changes to benefits for asylum seekers. The crucial thing is that the numbers have to come down, he said, referring to the migrants coming to Germany. There is a big question mark about whether they will actually go down.
CSU regional group leader Alexander Dobrindt has criticized the results of the migration summit as insufficient. “This won’t bring about a change in asylum,” Dobrindt said on Bayerischer Rundfunk on Tuesday. It is to be welcomed that the federal government is now making a greater financial contribution to the reception of refugees and asylum seekers. “But that doesn’t change the fact that people will continue to come to us in large numbers.”
Bavaria’s Prime Minister Markus Söder has assessed the results of the federal-state negotiations on migration as progress, but not yet sufficiently. “Positive: Something is moving! Negative: That’s not enough yet,” wrote the CSU boss on Tuesday morning on the X platform, formerly Twitter. “We have to continue to apply pressure to limit immigration to Germany,” emphasized Söder.
CDU General Secretary Carsten Linnemann has judged the federal-state agreement on migration policy to be inadequate. “It’s a small step,” said Linnemann on Tuesday in the ARD “Morgenmagazin”. However, the paper is “far from enough” to curb illegal migration in Germany. Asylum seekers should only be distributed among the municipalities if there is a right to remain. In addition, family reunification should be restricted and asylum procedures should be carried out in third countries. “Tonight’s paper says we want to check everything,” said the CDU politician. “It’s all too soft.”
AfD:
The AfD leaders Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla have criticized the federal and state agreements on migration policy. Weidel and Chrupalla explained on Tuesday that the measures adopted would not lead to the urgently needed reduction in migration. “The theatrical night meeting between the Chancellor and Prime Minister produced the expected non-result: the only thing they agree on is to cover up the asylum chaos with even more money from taxpayers.”
The traffic light coalition is simultaneously setting new migration incentives by making work easier for asylum seekers, the AfD leaders criticized and called for a “fundamental reform of asylum, residence and citizenship law” and a “removal of financial and social policy immigration incentives”.
The First parliamentary managing director of the AfD parliamentary group in the Bundestag, Bernd Baumann, attributes the agreements to his own party. The “almost panicked attempts” by the Union and the SPD to reach agreement on migration on a public stage were due to the AfD’s electoral successes, he said on Tuesday in Berlin. “We are the ones who force them to finally at least try something.”
Left:
The Dietmar Bartsch, parliamentary group leader of the Left described the results of the federal-state summit as a “round of disappointment”. He wrote this on X, formerly Twitter. “The Costs should no longer be borne by ordinary taxpayers.” On the other hand, he called for higher taxes for billionaires and multimillionaires to cope with migration. “That would also be a contribution to social peace.”
Daphne Weber, member of the executive board of the partyalso wrote at is endangered.”