Lack of urgency at Dresden City Hall: Seldom payment cards given to asylum seekers
In the heart of Saxony, a contentious issue has arisen regarding the distribution of payment cards for asylum seekers. The CDU leader, Friedrich Merz (69), has taken a keen interest in the matter.
Across other regions of Saxony, such as Leipzig, the Bautzen district, and the Saxon Switzerland and Ore Mountains, the payment card has already been distributed to thousands of asylum seekers. However, in Dresden, the situation is markedly different. Only 25 payment cards have been issued, a fact that has been criticised as a "scandal" by AfD city councillor Daniela Walter (52).
The payment card is intended to prevent social benefits from being transferred abroad and is a central instrument for the so-called migration turnaround. The city council approved an application for its introduction in Dresden in March 2024, with the votes of CDU, FDP, and Free Voters. Yet, the Dresden payment card for asylum seekers is currently in danger of becoming a non-starter.
The city hall in Dresden has created hundreds of expert opinions externally for an unspecified matter, but the reasons behind the low number of issued payment cards remain unclear. Mayor Dirk Hilbert (53, FDP) revoked the resolution to introduce the payment card in Dresden, citing the desire to avoid unnecessary additional costs before the nationwide introduction.
Despite the controversy, the town hall in Dresden has stated that the use of the payment card for asylum seekers has not resulted in any complaints or complications so far. However, the impact of this limited distribution on the distribution of social benefits and immigration policy in Dresden is not yet clear.
As the situation unfolds, it is crucial to monitor how this issue develops in Dresden and its potential implications on the integration of asylum seekers and local immigration management. Further investigation and official reports from local government or integration authorities may provide more insight into the reasons behind the low number of issued payment cards and its impact on the region.
This article was written by Lennart Zielke.
- The distribution of payment cards for asylum seekers, a central aspect of the 'migration turnaround' politics, has sparked controversy in Dresden, with only 25 cards being issued before the nationwide introduction, a circumstance criticized as a "scandal" by AfD city councillor Daniela Walter.
- Despite the revocation of the resolution to introduce the payment card in Dresden by Mayor Dirk Hilbert, citing the desire to avoid unnecessary costs, the implications of the limited distribution on the integration of asylum seekers and local immigration management in Dresden remain unclear, making it vital to monitor its development and seek further insight through official reports from local government or integration authorities.
