Union and Migration: More than a matter of tone and style

Status: 01/24/2023 3:48 p.m

Migration has been a topic of conflict for the CDU and CSU for years, and the views sometimes differ widely. Now the Union wants to find a clear course. But what should it look like?

By Vera Wolfskkampf, ARD Capital Studio

Germany is a country of immigration, skilled workers are welcome – so far the Union agrees with the SPD, Greens and FDP. Otherwise, however, the opposition faction wants to differentiate itself on the subject of migration and integration. The first of several special faction meetings is taking place today, at the end of which there should be a clear course from the CDU and CSU. The Union has also invited knowledgeable experts today.

Andrea Lindholz, deputy chairwoman of the Union faction, already sees a great deal of agreement in many areas. But the CSU politician concedes: “Of course, we also had to give up feathers through the debates of the past, even in the last legislature as a parliamentary group, I would call it.” It’s now about getting together.

Because even when the CDU and CSU were still in power, views differed widely: from Chancellor Angela Merkel, who deliberately left the borders open for refugees in 2015, to Interior Minister Horst Seehofer, who not long afterwards called for an upper limit for refugees. The Union is now looking for a position between these poles.

Sharp tones or sensitive language?

CDU leader Friedrich Merz has so far been more of a sharp tone. In autumn he accused refugees from Ukraine of “social tourism”, for which he apologized the following day. After the New Year’s Eve riots in Berlin, Merz spoke of “little pashas” and called for harsh consequences for young people from the Arab world who disregard the rules. “And if you don’t stick to it, you have to say it clearly, you have no place in this country,” he said two weeks ago ZDF.

Merz gets a lot of approval from his own ranks for clearly naming a problem. But the tone caused criticism, even if few express it as openly as Daniel Günther, Prime Minister of Schleswig-Holstein. In the “Tagesspiegel”, the CDU politician demanded that his party be more cosmopolitan, view immigration more positively and express itself more sensitively.

He’s going with him, said CDU General Secretary Mario Czaja ZDF. He points to necessary immigration, skilled workers who should be integrated into the labor market: That’s why you have to “live a culture of belonging, where we shape integration on an equal footing”.

dissenters in the faction

The fact that the Union has not yet been closed was shown in the Bundestag in December. SPD, Greens and FDP introduced their plans to give well-integrated refugees who have only been tolerated in Germany for at least five years a right of residence and access to the labor market.

The Union voted against – but 20 MPs from the parliamentary group abstained because they found the government plans partially correct. They even justified it in black and white, with a personal signature. A tenth of the group is a small part, but so much deviation is unusual, especially for the Union.

Group Vice President Lindholz speaks of different views. You have to endure that, according to the CSU politician: “Only with us does migration and integration always have the same effect: Is there a rift here? Are they different camps?”

Lindholz does not see any deep rifts, because in principle everyone agrees: targeted immigration of skilled workers yes, illegal and uncontrolled immigration no. In the coming weeks, the CDU and CSU want to stake out their course. Questions of style and details are also decisive, because the next acid test is sure to come. SPD, Greens and FDP want to facilitate naturalization and dual citizenship in the spring.

CDU/CSU looking for a course on integration and migration

Vera Wolfskkampf, ARD Berlin, 24.1.2023 10:04 a.m

source site