Greens split before party congress
80 members of the state parliament write an asylum fire letter
06/17/2023, 06:30 am
The European asylum compromise splits the Greens. Before a small party conference in Hesse, an incendiary letter made the rounds. In it, several dozen members of the state parliament call for resistance.
In a letter to the delegates at the small party congress, more than 80 Greens members of the state parliament warn against plans to tighten up European asylum law. “This agreement will not save lives, will not bring about fair distribution in the EU and will not provide local authorities with a remedy for their acute problems,” the letter said. The results even represent “a further deterioration in the rights of people who are on the run”.
According to information from party circles, the letter was sent to around 100 delegates on Friday evening. The Greens meet at noon in Bad Vilbel, Hesse, for a small one-day party conference. The asylum plans split the party right up to the top.
The signatories appeal to all decision-makers and in particular to the delegates at the so-called state council to work “for policies that are compatible with human rights”. “As Greens, we should be honest and defend this deal neither as a success nor as a compromise. Instead, we should make it clear that we, as defenders of inalienable fundamental and human rights, cannot support this Council agreement as a party and will do everything to ensure that that this will not become reality.”
Criticism of Baerbock and Habeck
The Green Youth had previously announced resistance. With four amendments to the party executive’s paper, she not only wants to force a course correction. The party should also state at the state council that Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck should have prevented the federal government’s approval in the Council of Justice and Home Affairs Ministers of the European Union, the so-called JI Council.
The EU interior ministers recently decided on plans for far-reaching asylum reforms with German approval – and thus also with the approval of top Greens. Numerous tightening measures are planned to limit illegal migration – especially from countries that are considered relatively safe. The EU Parliament will negotiate the plans with representatives of the EU states in the coming months and is likely to push through changes to the plans. In the end, the federal government would also have to position itself on the result.