Thuringia's SPD leader, Georg Maier, has faced criticism from the Jusos following his stance on safe countries of origin. The youth organization, Jusos Thuringia, expressed disbelief at Maier's criticism of Thuringia's voting behavior in the Bundesrat, which saw the approval of Moldova and Georgia as safe countries of origin.
In response, Jusos state leader Melissa Butt urged Maier to publicly oppose the expansion of safe countries of origin, as a majority of his party had done at the state party conference in Meiningen. This request came after Green Party leader Astrid Rothe-Beinlich and Left Party spokesperson Katharina König-Preuss criticized the inclusion of Moldova and Georgia in the list of safe countries of origin.
Maier, however, defended his position, stating that the SPD members of parliament had agreed to it. He questioned why the situation was being focused on in Thuringia when other federal states with similar coalition agreements had also agreed to the expansion.
Despite the Federal Council's approval, Thuringia chose to abstain from the vote in the state chamber, potentially leading to disagreements within the coalition. The expansion of safe countries of origin aims to reduce the rising number of asylum seekers, but opinions on its effectiveness and consequences remain divided.
Political discussions on migration and asylum remain a contentious issue in Germany, with various parties advocating for different approaches and guidelines. In this context, the stance of Thuringia's SPD leader on safe countries of origin is an important factor to consider, particularly in light of ongoing debates within the party and the coalition.
