By Gunnar Schupelius
In the future, everyone who has lived here for five years should be able to stay in Germany and also get a German passport. This is how uncontrolled immigration is legalized. This is hardly understandable anymore, says Gunnar Schupelius.
The idea came from Berlin politics and is now being taken up by the federal government: foreigners should be naturalized after five years, even if they were rejected as asylum seekers or are required to leave the country for another reason.
The so-called “chain tolerance” must come to an end, said Minister of State for Integration, Reem Alabali-Radovan (SPD). “Chain toleration” means the constant extension of temporary residence permits.
Reem Alabali-Radovan (SPD), Minister of State for Integration Photo: picture alliance / Geisler-Fotopress
Such tolerances are granted when rejected asylum seekers cannot leave the country, for example because of personal hardship or because they have lost their passport and the home country will not accept them again as a result.
Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) even speaks of a “chance right of residence” that should be granted until citizenship is acquired. That would be a permanent residence permit on probation. It would not even be necessary to provide reliable proof of one’s livelihood or one’s identity. The test is passed by those who do not commit a crime.
So far, the following requirements apply to acquiring German citizenship: The applicant must have lived permanently and lawfully in Germany for eight years, have a permanent residence permit and clearly prove their identity.
Nancy Faeser (SPD), Federal Minister of the Interior Photo: Wolfgang Kumm/dpa
Ms. Alabali-Radovan and Ms. Faeser want to remove these conditions. Proposals for this are to be submitted to the Bundestag in the form of legal regulations this summer. There, the majority of SPD, Greens and FDP will probably agree.
That would mean in plain language: Anyone can stay in Germany, except for serious criminals. Anyone who does not get asylum can still acquire German citizenship, after just five years.
The right of asylum would actually be superfluous, i.e. effectively abolished or at least greatly devalued. Because staying in Germany would then be guaranteed even without asylum.
Political asylum was enshrined in the Basic Law in 1949 and is a great good, a fundamental right that few countries interpret as generously as Germany.
This is intended to offer a permanent shelter to people who have had to flee serious personal persecution.
Now, however, this privilege of protected permanent residence is to be granted to everyone who somehow made it to Germany, even if they were not threatened and left their homeland for other reasons.
This policy not only devalues the right to asylum. It legalizes uncontrolled immigration and is therefore hardly comprehensible.
Is Gunnar Schupelius right? Call: 030/2591 73153 or email: [email protected]
