Brandenburg’s Interior Minister Michael Stübgen wants to remove the individual right to political asylum from the Basic Law. The CDU politician’s proposal caused horror in state politics three days before the state election on September 22nd.
“The individual right to asylum is no longer necessary in the Basic Law because, according to the rules of the Geneva Refugee Convention, we already grant protection to people who are persecuted,” Stübgen told the Handelsblatt. “That is why I am in favor of anchoring the Geneva Refugee Convention as an institutional guarantee in the Basic Law.”
Without the right to asylum, it would be possible to introduce refugee quotas. “We then decide who comes to our country,” said the chairman of the Conference of Interior Ministers (IMK). “And we can determine to what extent we can accept and integrate migrants.” Stübgen also called for the declaration of a national emergency to reject migrants at the bordersHe also called for a restart of diplomatic relations with Syria to enable deportations to the civil war-torn country.
The state and parliamentary group leader of the Brandenburg Left, Sebastian Walteraccused Stübgen of forgetting history. “The fundamental right to asylum was enshrined in the constitution for good reasons – and these reasons are just as valid today as they were then,” said Walter.
“Stirring up a debate against asylum seekers”
The minister appears to want to overtake the AfD on the right and is treading on dangerously thin ice. “Instead of promoting orderly processes for integration, he is stirring up a debate against those seeking protection,” said Walter. It is his responsibility to provide the municipalities with the financial resources they need to carry out their tasks. “Anyone who has spent years ruining the country with austerity and, as the responsible minister, is letting the municipalities down, should simply remain silent in the debate.”
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The Greens’ top candidate for the state elections, Antje Töpferexplained that the loud election campaign noise at the expense of basic rights and asylum seekers must finally stop. “Stübgen is trying to win votes with right-wing slogans, although the CDU and SPD must slowly realize that with this strategy they are only promoting division, resentment and the strengthening of the right-wing extremists,” said Töpfer.
Prime Minister Dietmar Woidke (SPD) must rule out that Brandenburg would question the right to asylum “and position itself against the SPD idea of creating large, undignified camps in Brandenburg.” The group spokesman of BVB/Free Voters, Péter Vidarejected Stübgen’s demands. “Interior Minister Stübgen is trying to distract from his own failure shortly before the election, but voters see through this embarrassing election campaign maneuver,” said Vida.
According to Vida, only ten percent of the 4,500 asylum seekers without the right to stay in Brandenburg were deported. “The legal basis is there, but the government is not deporting people,” says Vida. “Anyone who calls for changes to laws while not adequately applying the existing ones is throwing smokescreens.”
