Rwanda model as a role model?
FDP calls for debate about asylum procedures outside Europe
April 25, 2024, 6:39 a.m
The FDP is calling for a tougher approach to asylum policy. Shortly before the party conference, parliamentary group leader Dürr called for people to “think about” carrying out asylum procedures in third countries outside of Europe.
After Parliament approved the controversial plan to deport migrants to Rwanda in Great Britain, the FDP parliamentary group is calling for a debate about similar models for German refugee policy. “I think it would be right if we thought about carrying out asylum procedures in third countries outside of Europe,” said FDP parliamentary group leader Christian Dürr to the “Augsburger Allgemeine”.
“With a legally secure regulation, we could create clarity about protection status and prevent people from taking the dangerous route across the Mediterranean with no prospect of staying,” the FDP politician continued. “We should therefore examine the possibilities for such procedures promptly and thoroughly.” The FDP, which meets at a federal party conference at the weekend, has been polling well below its 2021 election result for months.
On Tuesday night, the British Parliament approved the controversial plan to deport migrants to Rwanda after a long dispute. In the future, people who entered the country irregularly should be able to be deported to Rwanda regardless of their origin and without having their asylum application examined; the East African country will be classified as a safe third country. The asylum seekers’ applications for asylum are then examined in Rwanda. If they are successful, they will be granted asylum in Rwanda rather than the UK.
London relies on a deterrent effect
The British government hopes that the law will have a deterrent effect. However, the project was legally challenged from the start. In November, the Supreme Court in London declared an agreement already concluded with Rwanda on the deportation of migrants to be unlawful: In particular, the court did not classify Rwanda as a safe third country because it cannot be ruled out that Rwanda deports people to other countries where they are Persecution threatens.
Human rights organizations and justice experts criticize that the new law is intended to undermine other laws or international treaties on the basis of which migrants have previously been able to legally challenge deportation. The law provides, for example, that provisions of the British Human Rights Act or the Geneva Refugee Convention can be ignored.
German politicians protest against Sunak’s deal
In a letter to British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, 13 German politicians criticize the British government’s plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda without any procedure, despite legal concerns. “We followed the vote on the changes to the law regarding deportations to Rwanda with concern,” says the letter reported by “Spiegel”. “In particular, your statement that you no longer want to respect interim injunctions from the European Court of Human Rights is irritating.”
In addition to the Greens and Social Democrats, the signatories of the letter also include Union MP Knut Abraham. However, the Union advocates a migration policy based on the British model; CDU executive board member Jens Spahn has brought an agreement with Rwanda into play as early as 2023.