Mr. Dürr, why is it difficult for the FDP to find a clear line on the subject of migration?
That’s not true. Unlike other parties, we have a very clear line. We do not want immigration into the social security systems, but immigration into the German labor market. We have a real demographic crisis – there is a lack of staff everywhere. The shortage of skilled workers endangers German prosperity. That is why Germany must finally become a modern immigration country.
With regard to the planned reform of citizenship law – faster naturalizations – the FDP sent very contradictory signals.
We care about the right order. The migration policy of the CDU-led federal governments has failed in recent years: Only one in ten immigrants came via regular labor migration, nine via the asylum system. Germany has not succeeded in gaining enough new skilled workers. That’s why, as a first step, we want modern immigration law for everyone who wants to get involved here. It has to be easier for these people. Canada, Australia and New Zealand are our role models. In the second step, those who work here and are well integrated can obtain German citizenship. And it must also be clear: Anyone who has no prospects in this country or even violates the law must leave Germany again.
Its Secretary General, Bijan Djir-Sarai, warned of a “devaluation of German citizenship”. Is German citizenship worth less if more people have it?
no But the conditions under which one can become German must be right. Those who can live by their own hands, pay into the social security systems and are an asset to society can obtain citizenship. This is also in the interests of the immigrants. It’s no good if we have parallel societies. We saw that on New Year’s Eve. That was a problem of internal security in Berlin, caused by the left-wing Senate – but also the result of a failed migration policy.
Annalena Baerbock must ensure that these people can come to Germany more easily.
Christian Dürr, FDP parliamentary group leader
What improvements do you call for in the draft of the traffic light’s citizenship law?
We see a need for improvement with the double pass. In principle, we want to allow it. But it needs the generation cut. Dual citizenship must not be inherited over many generations. It is understandable that someone who immigrates to Germany is also allowed to retain the citizenship of their country of origin. But real integration means that later generations only have one citizenship.
Germany would need 400,000 workers from abroad per year to combat the shortage of skilled workers. Is the Federal Republic attractive enough at all? The programmer from India prefers to go to Canada.
Germany is basically an attractive country. But at the same time we have to make sure that we remain economically competitive. Highly qualified employees in particular think twice about going to a country that levies particularly high taxes. That’s why it was so important that we, as the federal government, compensated for inflation in the income tax system.
Part of the truth is that there will be people who fail here.
Christian Dürr, FDP parliamentary group leader
It often fails because of the bureaucracy. Many entrepreneurs despair at the German consulates abroad: the specialists they want to hire cannot get a visa.
That’s the way it is. I recently spoke to an entrepreneur. He has offered a work contract to a specialist from abroad, but she has been waiting for an appointment for a year so that she can even apply for a visa. There are thousands, maybe tens of thousands, of people in the world who feel this way. The Federal Foreign Minister is also required to do this.
Annalena Baerbock must ensure that these people can come to Germany more easily. The consulates have to work faster, more digitally and with less bureaucracy. That would also reduce illegal migration via the Balkan route or the Mediterranean if those who want to build something here have a legal route to Europe.
They want those who are not allowed to stay here to leave the country. The traffic light agreed on a “repatriation offensive” in the coalition agreement. Little of this has been noticed so far. Did we miss something?
We’re making progress. The federal government has finally appointed a migration commissioner. On the one hand, he is responsible for seeing which people are interested in coming to Germany to work here. On the other hand, migration agreements with countries of origin are needed for repatriation. Part of the truth is that there will be people who fail here. They must return to their home countries. But what is also not possible: pushing people out of the labor market. The Union-led federal government has practiced this for years.
So people can no longer be deported from the labor market?
Anyone who doesn’t get into debt, who is well integrated and can make a living from their own work, who learns the German language: What reason can there be for deporting these people? But there are tens of thousands who have committed criminal offenses in Germany who will have no prospects here. They have to leave the country. People in Germany are very cosmopolitan, but they expect those who come here to integrate and work. It infuriates people that immigrants have been pushed out of the labor market, but those who should have been pushed out stayed.
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