German Parliament to Suspend Intake of Afghan Local Staff
On November 25, 2024, the German Bundestag passed Antrag 20/13901, a motion to immediately halt the admission of Afghan local staff into Germany. The motion was supported by a majority of parliamentarians, with 324 votes in favor and 276 votes against.
Background
Since the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021, Germany has evacuated over 20,000 Afghan local staff and their families. These individuals had worked alongside German forces during the 20-year NATO-led mission in the country and were at risk of persecution by the Taliban.
However, the influx of Afghan refugees has strained Germany’s asylum system. In 2022 alone, over 1 million people applied for asylum in Germany, with Afghans accounting for the largest group. This has led to long processing times and a backlog of cases.
Reasons for Suspension
Proponents of the motion argue that Germany can no longer sustain the current level of refugee intake. They point to the growing cost of providing housing, healthcare, and other services to new arrivals. They also express concerns about the social and security implications of accepting large numbers of asylum seekers.
Additionally, critics of the government’s asylum policy claim that some Afghan local staff have used forged documents or exaggerated their roles in order to gain entry to Germany. They argue that this has undermined the credibility of the evacuation program.
Opposition to Suspension
Opponents of the motion argue that it is morally and legally wrong to abandon Afghan local staff who risked their lives to support German troops. They emphasize that these individuals face ongoing threats from the Taliban and other militant groups.
Furthermore, they contend that halting the admission of Afghan local staff will damage Germany’s reputation as a humanitarian country. They argue that Germany has a duty to protect those who have supported its international missions.
Next Steps
The Bundestag resolution instructs the German government to immediately halt the admission of Afghan local staff. It also calls for a review of the existing evacuation program to ensure that only those who are genuinely at risk are granted asylum.
The government is expected to implement the resolution in the coming days. It remains unclear how this will affect the thousands of Afghan local staff and their families who are still waiting to be evacuated to Germany.
20/13901: Antrag Aufnahme afghanischer Ortskräfte nach Deutschland sofort stoppen (PDF)
The AI has provided us with the news.
I’ve asked Google Gemini the following question, and here’s its response.
Drucksachen a new article on 2024-11-25 11:00 titled “20/13901: Antrag Aufnahme afghanischer Ortskräfte nach Deutschland sofort stoppen (PDF)”. Please write a detailed article on this news item, including any relevant information. Answers should be in English.
64