Greens: Söder is “rushing forward for the show effect”
The Bavarian Green Party leader Katharina Schulze criticized Bavaria’s solo effort: “Last week, the federal and state governments jointly initiated resolutions to examine and define the framework conditions for a payment card. Now Markus Söder is pushing forward again for the show effect.”
It has to be about a viable solution. So far, for example, the card has not worked in Erding and Zirndorf because local retailers did not accept it as a means of payment. “Against this background, it is simply irresponsible to burden Bavaria’s authorities with this enormous administrative burden in a hurry,” complained Schulze. Rather, what is needed is a comprehensive, joint solution from the states.
The district administrator of Miltenberg, Jens Marco Scherf (Greens), demanded that a payment card must be easy to implement so that it significantly reduces the effort involved in cash withdrawals. “We hope that the Bavarian state government will provide a solution that is easy to implement and that keeps the administrative effort as low as possible.” In addition, the Free State of Bavaria should expand its state initial reception facilities “so that only refugees with prospects of staying or with completed procedures are handed over to the care of the municipalities.”
AfD: “Acting means deporting”
AfD MP Ingo Hahn emphasized on BR24live that the AfD has been demanding benefits in kind instead of money for years. But it is only a very small component. The payment card is like “sand in the citizens’ eyes”; it creates the impression that something is being done. But: “Nothing will happen with this cash card because we have completely different pull factors, i.e. attraction factors.” As examples he cited health insurance, citizen’s benefit, “warm accommodation, great apartments” for asylum seekers.
Hahn’s demand: Every rejected asylum seeker must be deported. “Acting means deporting,” he told the AfD politician. And since the EU’s external borders are not protected and “everyone wants to come to Germany, to Bavaria,” the German borders must be protected.
SPD: A “very small piece of the puzzle”
Florian von Brunn from the SPD believes other adjustments are more important than the introduction of a payment card, which is only a “very small piece of the puzzle”. “Migration agreements with other countries play a central role. That is a much better lever in this case,” said von Brunn on BR24live.
Work is also underway on a common European asylum policy. “For example, we want to ensure that the distribution in the European Union is better, that it is fairer, that Germany doesn’t have to take in so many refugees.” People do not come to the Federal Republic because of financial benefits, but rather because Germany is a constitutional state and economically strong.
Mandatory language tests for children
In addition, the Council of Ministers decided that comprehensive language tests should be introduced before starting school. The responsible departments – the social, cultural and health ministries – had been commissioned to develop a concept, explained Herrmann.
If language skills are lacking, there should be a compulsory preschool year or language courses. Thanks to this support, the child should be able to follow the lessons. This should no longer “depend on the discretion of the parents”. It is still unclear who will teach the children.