Clash against criminal activities in clans is centered on evidence rather than political affiliations
In the city of Oberhausen, SPD parliamentarian Sonja Bongers has called for a forward-looking approach to combat clan criminality and terrorism. Bongers, a member of the North Rhine-Westphalia state parliament and SPD city council chair, believes that politics should focus on the present and setting the course for the future, rather than dwelling on the past.
Bongers supports the use of asset confiscation as a tool to address these forms of organized crime. She advocates for employing measures such as the confiscation of assets amassed through illegal activities to effectively combat clan criminality. This approach is based on the 2014 EU directive and was reflected in the federal law on the reform of asset confiscation, which was implemented in July 2017.
However, Bongers' proposals have met with criticism from Oberhausen's CDU. In response, Bongers has rejected these criticisms, stating that referring to previous NRW legislative periods is inappropriate in the current context.
Meanwhile, SPD Mayor Manfred Flore has clarified that Dirk Rubin, the chair of Oberhausen's police advisory board, is not the spokesperson for the board. Rubin, who is also a city council member, can express his opinion in the press, like any other council member. However, it is important to note that no binding political majority decisions are made in the police advisory board.
Manfred Flore also implied that Rubin may not fully understand his role in the police advisory board, while Wilhelm Hausmann, a former state parliament colleague of Bongers, has been urged to reconsider his reliance on the past in addressing clan criminality.
Despite these differences, it is clear that the issue of clan criminality remains a significant concern for Oberhausen's political leaders. The exact impact of the 24 out of 5000 clan-related crimes on the city is unclear, as context is needed to understand the significance of these numbers. Regardless, the ongoing debate highlights the need for effective strategies to combat this form of organized crime.
Sonja Bongers, in her role as SPD parliamentarian, is advocating for a policy-and-legislation focus on combating clan criminality and terrorism, which includes employing measures such as asset confiscation to address these forms of organized crime. Her proposals have sparked debate, with Oberhausen's CDU offering criticism, but Bongers has emphasized the importance of a forward-looking approach and rejects references to past legislative periods. Meanwhile, ongoing discussions about the police advisory board have surfaced, with SPD Mayor Manfred Flore implying that Dirk Rubin may not fully understand his role within it. Despite these differing perspectives, the general-news and crime-and-justice sectors remain attuned to the significant concern of clan criminality in the city of Oberhausen.
