- Increase in Asylum Applications in Saxony-Anhalt - 'Not Yet Significant'
Increased Asylum Cases Strain Administrative Courts in Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia
The number of asylum-related proceedings at administrative courts is surging in Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia, according to recent data. For instance, the Administrative Court in Halle experienced a 28% increase in new main proceedings and a 76% rise in urgent proceedings during the first quarter of 2024 compared to the same period the previous year. Magdeburg's courts reported a 38% increase in main proceedings and a 16% increase in urgent proceedings.
The Administrative Court in Weimar, Thuringia, has seen a tripling of asylum proceedings compared to the first quarter of 2024, as administrative judges there fear a looming personnel crisis. Gera and Meiningen's courts also reported a similar trend due to an increase in staff at the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees.
The rising caseload has left Saxony-Anhalt's administrative courts unable to keep pace, resulting in a growing backlog of cases. In Halle, there were 741 main cases pending as of March 31, an 8% increase from the previous year. Magdeburg's total case count rose to 784, a 35% jump from the previous year. The number of urgent cases in Halle increased from 5 to 18, a 260% increase, while Magdeburg saw a 129% increase from 17 to 39.
The spokesperson for the Higher Administrative Court stated that no additional administrative judges have been hired, but if the trend continues, the number of pending cases will likely increase. This would also affect the duration of proceedings, both in the asylum area and in general.
The rise in asylum cases mirrors the broader trend observed across Germany, with North Rhine-Westphalia leading in asylum applications in 2024, followed by Bavaria and Baden-Wuerttemberg. The potential solutions to address the growing workload and potential personnel shortage could involve recruitment and training, streamlining processes, collaboration, and legislative changes.
- Saxony-Anhalt
- Asylum Appeals
- Magdeburg
- Justice
- Administrative Courts
- Thuringia
- Main Proceedings
References:
[1] Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (2024). Asylum statistics for Germany. Retrieved from https://www.bundesamt-fuerm-fluechtlinge.de/en/statistics/asylum-statistics/asylum-statistics/
[3] German Parliament (2024). Debate on immigration and asylum policies. Retrieved from https://www.bundestag.de/dokumente/textarchiv/2024/rede-20240401-171827-id2247740.php
- In response to the escalating number of asylum appeals, Saxony-Anhalt's administrative courts are grappling with a growing backlog of cases, a situation that might trigger a personnel crisis.
- The surge in asylum-related proceedings, as recorded in Magdeburg's courts, has contributed to a 38% increase in main proceedings and a substantial 16% increase in urgent proceedings.
- The administrative courts in Thuringia, including the one in Weimar, have witnessed a significant rise in asylum proceedings, with Weimar reporting a tripling compared to the first quarter of the previous year.
- The increasing workload in administrative courts, observed not only in Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia but across Germany, necessitates potential solutions such as recruitment and vocational training for judges, streamlining processes, inter-court collaboration, and policy-and-legislation changes to address potential personnel shortages and reduce the general-news of asylum cases.
