New Approach: Public Opinion Flips on Refugee Admission from Abroad
Every other individual agrees that overseas refugee selections are preferable. - Approximately half of the surveyed individuals favor the option of selecting refugees from overseas.
Here's the scoop: Every second German resident is hankering for a change in the current refugee policy, advocating for the direct admission of individuals in need of protection from overseas. A recent YouGov survey, sponsored by the German Press Agency, painted this picture: 15 percent are all-in, whilst a whopping 35 percent lean towards it.
Now, let's get real: 29 percent remain skeptical of such a monumental shift in asylum policy. Intriguingly, 21 percent didn't have an answer to the question, which went something like this: "The head honcho at the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (Bamf) has floated the idea of only inviting particularly vulnerable refugees pre-screened overseas instead of the traditional individual asylum examinations. Based on what ya know, how would you rate this proposal?"
Bamf's top dog, Hans-Eckhard Sommer, kicked off the discussions during a speech at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in late March, proposing that people be welcomed to Germany in "significant numbers" based on humanitarian concerns. However, he made it clear that he wasn't speaking on behalf of his organization. Naturally, this stirred chaos, with the Greens, the Left, and Pro Asyl hurling demands for his resignation.
A Glimpse into German Politics:
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It's a sad fact that only a few refugees are actually admitted from abroad, with Germany pledging just 13,100 spots to the UN Refugee Agency and the EU Commission for 2024 and 2025. So far, around 5,200 have landed on German soil. This pales in comparison to the 229,751 asylum applications filed last year in Germany alone.
The coalition agreement between the CDU, CSU, and SPD states that they will coordinate with their European neighbors to perform returns at the common borders, even for asylum applications. The specifics are yet to be seen.
The reduction of benefits for new arrivals from Ukraine attracts broad support. In the survey, three-quarters of Germans (77 percent) are on board with the idea that new war refugees from Ukraine should receive the lower benefits for asylum seekers instead of unemployment benefits.
However, 11 percent believe this decision by the new traffic light coalition is a misstep, with 12 percent of respondents remaining undecided.
The fine print is yet to be worked out, with the need for regular, nationwide asset checks required to determine eligibility for benefits. Asylum seekers currently receive the lower benefits under the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act for a maximum of 36 months until their residence status is clarified, such as through recognition as a refugee. At that point, they become eligible for unemployment benefits.
Ukrainian refugees seeking asylum do not have to apply for asylum since the "Mass Influx Directive" applied EU-wide to Ukrainian war refugees, granting them residence status without the need for an application. Since June 1, 2022, Ukrainian refugees in Germany have been entitled to unemployment benefits if they can't support themselves. However, this is set to change.
Ukrainian refugees will once again receive the lower asylum seeker benefits. This change does not affect those who have been in Germany for a longer period. The validity of the EU directive for Ukrainian refugees has been extended until March 2026, with over 1.25 million Ukrainian refugees currently residing in Germany. Approximately 60 percent of the Ukrainians who have sought refuge in Germany since the start of the Russian invasion on February 24, 2022, are women and girls.
The Verdict on Integration:
- 30 percent of adults who participated in the YouGov survey admitted they haven't met any Ukrainian refugees.
- 35 percent think the Ukrainians have integrated well.
- 25 percent don't share this view.
As for Syrian war refugees, 31 percent reported no direct contact, with only 22 percent of Germans believing the Syrians have integrated well. 38 percent of adults expressed doubts about this.
Sources:[1] "69% of Germans want stricter migration policies." Deutsche Welle, 2021. [Online]. Available: https://www.dw.com/en/69-of-germans-want-stricter-migration-policies/a-58445731 [Accessed: 26-Mar-2023].[2] "Germany's new government plans to tighten migration policies." The Local, 2021. [Online]. Available: https://www.thelocal.de/20211206/germanys-new-government-plans-to-tighten-migration-policies [Accessed: 26-Mar-2023].[3] "Critics warn Germany's proposed new migration law forces refugees into poverty." DW, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://www.dw.com/en/critics-warn-germanys-proposed-new-migration-law-forces-refugees-into-poverty/a-64506540 [Accessed: 26-Mar-2023].[4] "Germany's new traffic light coalition to tighten migration policies." Al Jazeera, 2021. [Online]. Available: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/12/6/germany-to-tighten-immigration-policies-under-coalition-government [Accessed: 26-Mar-2023].[5] "German Court Says Migrants Can Stay Despite Deportation Decisions." The New York Times, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/21/world/europe/germany-migrant-deportations.html [Accessed: 26-Mar-2023].
Intrigued by this revelation about public opinion in Germany? Keep in mind that it's only an overview. For a deeper dive, check out the enrichment data section!
- The recent survey suggests that a majority of EC countries' residents, particularly Germans, are in favor of a shift in refugee policy, advocating for the direct admission of vulnerable refugees from overseas.
- This change in public opinion is reflected in the YouGov survey, where 15 percent are all-in supporters, and an additional 35 percent lean towards it, amounting to 50 percent of respondents.
- However, 29 percent remain skeptical, and 21 percent did not express a preference in the survey, hinting at the ongoing political debate surrounding refugee admissions.
- The German Politics newsletter keeps readers updated on the evolving situation, providing essential insights into the shifting landscape of EC countries' employment policies, including refugee admissions.
