Before the refugee summit: states have four demands on the federal government

In front of the refugee summit
States have four demands on the federal government

5/9/2023 5:28 am

When it comes to financing refugee costs, the federal states and local authorities are at odds with the federal government. They go to the refugee summit with specific demands. But they are only heard by one party in the federal government.

The federal states are unanimously in talks with the federal government about the controversial refugee financing. On Monday evening, the heads of the State Chancellery sent the Federal Chancellery a joint basis for consultation. The new state paper mainly includes four specific demands: The states demand full reimbursement of costs for accommodation and heating for refugees as well as a general monthly per capita flat rate for accommodation and care according to the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act. In addition, the Prime Ministers want a reliable solution for integration costs and the costs for unaccompanied refugees in the consultations with Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

“A financing model is required that is appropriate in terms of amount and adapts to changing refugee numbers (breathing system)”, says the country paper. The 1.5 billion euros promised by the federal government for refugees from Ukraine and 1.25 billion euros for migrants from other countries – with continued payment of only the latter item from 2024 – would not do justice to the increasing number of refugees. In the first four months of this year alone, initial asylum applications increased by almost 80 percent compared to the same period last year.

The paper also includes proposals for curbing irregular migration, for better cooperation with the countries of origin, for more effective protection of internal borders and for consistent returns. However, these passages are still subject to change.

States show solidarity with the municipalities

Cities, municipalities and counties are not sitting at the table on Wednesday. However, they are specifically concerned with the accommodation, care and integration of refugees on site. Many municipalities complain that they have reached the limits of their resilience. Lower Saxony’s Prime Minister Stephan Weil made it clear in the ZDF “heute journal” that the federal states act primarily as administrators for the municipalities. “It’s really difficult for them,” said the SPD politician. His party comrade, the Prime Minister of Rhineland-Palatinate, Malu Dreyer, also made it clear: “Local authorities and states stand side by side when it comes to accommodating the refugees.”

Before the meeting, the President of the German Association of Cities, Markus Lewe, called for the federal and state governments to agree on a permanent regulation that automatically adapts to the current number of people seeking protection. “There must be an end to the discussion about responsibility and money every time the flight situation changes. This is a useless waste of time and trust,” warned the CDU politician.

The Lord Mayor of Münster emphasized that taking in asylum seekers and refugees is about more than just a bed and food. “It’s about apartments, daycare and school places. We also lack the staff on site.” The federal government should therefore provide the states with a permanent share of sales tax for the costs of integration and the creation of the necessary social infrastructure. The federal government must also bear the full costs of accommodation and support the burdens imposed by the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act and the expenses for unaccompanied minors.

Federal government without a unified line

The traffic light coalition is not entirely uniform on the issue. Government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit emphasized that the federal government already bears a significant part of the costs for taking in refugees. There are no legal provisions for direct financial relationships between the federal government and the municipalities. The FDP, which is the Finance Minister together with Christian Lindner, is opposed to providing more money from the federal government. The federal government is already making billions in support of the municipalities, said party leader Lindner to the TV station Welt. It does not always need more money, but a different refugee policy with less irregular migration. People without a right of residence would also have to leave the country again.

FDP parliamentary group leader Christian Dürr also warned in the “Stuttgarter Zeitung”: “Even more funds from the federal government for the care of refugees would also mean that there is less money for other projects that we are currently discussing – for example for basic child security.” “That can’t be our goal.” In the “Augsburger Allgemeine”, Dürr called on the federal states to switch from direct payments to benefits in kind for asylum seekers in order to offer fewer incentives to immigrate to people with no prospects of staying.

The Greens, on the other hand, support the cities and municipalities in their appeals for more help. “What the municipalities need is reasonable funding and support for accommodation,” said Greens domestic politician Julian Pahlke. The member of the Bundestag accused Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faese of suggesting “that decisions are made at European level that limit the flight to Germany and relieve the local authorities”. In view of the demands of the municipalities, to now talk about “new EU regulations, which would come into force completely unplanned in the next few years”, means making “empty and ineffective promises”.

In the federal government, the Union is the opposition, but the CDU and CSU are involved in 9 of the 16 state governments and are therefore sitting at the table on Wednesday. Bavaria’s Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann argued in the “Augsburger Allgemeine” that the federal share of the costs for asylum and integration had fallen to less than 20 percent. “It is therefore absolutely justified that all federal states and the municipal umbrella organizations are unanimously demanding not to be fobbed off with the far too low lump sums.” Union faction leader Friedrich Merz warned: “We should listen to the calls for help from the municipalities.” The CDU boss told the editorial network Germany: “Integrating refugees well with us also has something to do with the number of people who live here with us.” Merz sees Chancellor Scholz as having a duty to “manage migration to Germany in a sustainable manner”.