In the village of Upahl, the residents demonstrated against the construction of refugee accommodation.Image: dpa / Jens Büttner
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Wars, climate crisis, terror, persecution: there are many reasons to have to flee your home country. Since the Russian President Wladimir Putin attacked the Ukraine about a year ago, there is another country whose population has to seek protection in Germany, for example.
Last year, 244,132 people applied for asylum in Germany. This is by no means as many as in 2016 (745,545 applicants), but still far more than in 2021 (190,816).
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The federal states are already sounding the alarm. State leaders fear that they will not be able to look after the many people seeking protection adequately or even accommodate them at all. For example, the Hessian Prime Minister Boris Rhein (CDU).
He asked Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) to make the issue a top priority. But he’s not the only one. Numerous districts and communities are afraid that they will reach their limits.
CDU man and Prime Minister of Hesse: Boris Rhein.Image: dpa / Swen gatekeeper
Is there help from the federal government? Is it even possible to understand the problem at the federal level? The Federal Ministry of the Interior says: Yes.
When asked by Watson, a spokesman wrote that “the special challenges that the federal states and municipalities responsible for housing those seeking protection are currently facing are being taken very seriously”.
Contrary to the representation of some state leaders, states and municipalities would not be left alone. “Even if the federal states are obliged to create and maintain the reception facilities required for accommodation, the federal government supports the federal states and municipalities by providing federal real estate and financial support.”
States require the federal government to assume the costs for refugees
Measures such as regular information about current developments are already being taken.
A refugee shelter for 400 people is being built in Upahl. The village has 500 inhabitants.Image: www.imago-images.de / BildFunkMV
But states and municipalities are demanding more. For example, that the costs incurred are borne by the federal government. “From now on, from the next meeting with us, the federal government must guarantee that all refugee-related costs do not get stuck at the municipal level.”said district council president Reinhard Sager of the “World“In addition, more initial accommodation is needed because the municipalities are under massive pressure.
In general, refugees are distributed within Germany according to the Königstein key. The key determines which federal state has to take in how many people. It is recalculated every year – and changes depending on tax revenue and population figures.
But: Does the Königstein key still work or does it need a new form of distribution?
Ministry of the Interior reacts cautiously
The Interior Ministry reacted defensively. According to the Asylum Act (§ 45 paragraph 1) the countries could set their own admission quota. If such an agreement does not (yet) exist, the Königstein key applies.
The Ministry also reacts cautiously to the question of ways to prepare cities and communities to take in a larger number of refugees:
“According to Section 44 (1) of the Asylum Act, the reception, accommodation and care of refugees are the responsibility of the federal states. Due to this constitutionally anchored division of competences between the federal and state governments, the federal government is not entitled to assess the requirements for reception and accommodation of the federal states and municipalities.”
On Safer Internet Day, Green politicians Tobias Bacherle and Denise Loop make it clear that children and young people are not responsible for their own safety on the internet. Protecting them while at the same time allowing them their freedom is the task of politics. A guest post.
The everyday life of children has long been taking place in the digital space. Games, chatting, Tiktok – the average age of children who use the Internet is also getting younger and younger. Digital media are part of everyday life for children and young people. Their protection and also their rights in the digital space are becoming increasingly important. One thing is clear: child protection anchored in constitutional law, fundamental rights and privacy must be considered together in the digital space.
