FDP politician praises the Greens
Lindner calls for a move away from the “policy of de facto open borders”
September 15, 2023, 3:42 a.m
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According to Finance Minister Lindner, Germany is not doing enough to attract foreign skilled workers that are urgently needed for the economy. At the same time, “we make it too easy for those who want to benefit from our welfare state to stay,” complains the FDP politician.
Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner sees the high level of uncontrolled migration as a threat to Germany’s fiscal and social stability. “We make it too difficult for those we need as workers to come. And we make it too easy for those who want to benefit from our welfare state to stay,” Lindner told the Düsseldorf “Rheinische Post”.
He called for “everything that is legally possible” to be done “to reduce the number of irregular immigration.” Both the traffic light parties and the federal states are called upon to pull together, said the FDP politician.
“I want to acknowledge that the Greens have jumped over their shadow several times. The migration policy is significantly different from the previous government,” said Lindner. At least two safe countries of origin have been decided. But he would “welcome it if the Greens examine their position.”
Germany is “a cosmopolitan country that needs qualified immigration and takes on humanitarian responsibility for threatened people. But this will only find social acceptance if irregular immigration is curbed at the same time,” warned Lindner.
Finance minister dampens the countries’ expectations
At a Prime Minister’s Conference with Chancellor Olaf Scholz in the fall, the states want to secure significantly more money from the federal government for the care of refugees. The finance minister dampened this expectation. “The federal government has a double message to the states: the states are shouldering the growing burden of migration costs, but the federal government also has tasks with the Bundeswehr that have a new financial dimension,” said the minister.
“On the other hand, we recognize that migration policy is a responsibility of the federal and state governments. The federal government is already heavily involved in this. But it’s not just about distributing the financial burden, but above all about establishing control. We need faster ones Asylum procedures, more deportations and so on. A policy of de facto open borders would be irresponsible,” emphasized Lindner.