Obstacle to Bushman’s plan
Hundreds of judges are missing for fast asylum procedures
15.06.2024, 05:57
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The Federal Minister of Justice wants to speed up asylum processes, and legal proceedings should only take six months at most. However, the Association of Judges is putting Buschmann at fault: the plans are currently not feasible.
The German Judges’ Association has criticized the plans announced by Federal Justice Minister Marco Buschmann to speed up asylum processes. Without additional staff, these are largely ineffective: “In order to achieve the politically proclaimed goal of concluding asylum cases within a few months, the administrative courts need, first and foremost, to increase their staff,” said Sven Rebehn, managing director of the Judges’ Association, to the “Augsburger Allgemeine”.
“It will not work without a federal pact for the rule of law that ensures extensive investment in the justice system,” stressed Rebehn. But he criticized the fact that the traffic light coalition had put this promise on ice.
Buschmann: There are big regional differences
FDP politician Buschmann announced this week that proceedings before administrative courts are to be significantly streamlined. Long proceedings are a burden for everyone involved, and in asylum proceedings they contribute to people with no prospect of staying in Germany becoming more entrenched. In future, trainee judges at administrative courts will be able to handle proceedings alone from the outset. In asylum proceedings, for example, one judge will normally decide alone instead of a chamber.
Rebehn noted that the reform package summarizes many small points that go in the right direction, but that they are not enough overall. At least 500 additional judges are needed nationwide if the length of proceedings is to be reduced.
Buschmann told the Funke Media Group that there are large regional differences in the duration of asylum appeal proceedings. “But the average of two years is a problem.” In addition to the burden on those seeking protection, this is also a burden on the welfare state and could harm the acceptance of asylum law as a whole. With his package of measures to speed up asylum appeal proceedings, significant improvements will be achieved. “Our goal must be that such proceedings are completed in less than six months in the future.”