Olaf Scholz vows to deport criminals to high-risk countries
In a decisive policy shift, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced on Thursday that criminals convicted of serious offenses will be deported to their home countries, even if these include high-risk nations like Syria and Afghanistan. This announcement was made during a speech to the Bundestag, reflecting a strong stance on national security.
“Such criminals should be deported — even if they come from Syria and Afghanistan. Serious criminals and terrorist threats have no place here”, Scholz stated. He further indicated that Germany’s Federal Ministry of the Interior is actively seeking ways to implement these measures into law, emphasizing, “Germany’s interest in security outweighs the perpetrator’s interest in protection”.
Scholz also targeted those who glorify or celebrate terrorist acts, asserting that they too would face deportation. “We will tighten our deportation regulations so that even condoning terrorist offenses is followed by a serious interest in deportation”, he concluded.
The reason of this policy
This policy shift comes in response to recent violent incidents, particularly in Mannheim, a southwestern German city. Last Friday, a policeman was fatally stabbed after a man attacked five participants at a rally organized by the anti-Islam movement Pax Europa. The suspect, a 25-year-old Afghan migrant who arrived in Germany in 2013, held legal residency in the country.
Chancellor Scholz’s firm stance on deportation echoes the demands of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, which has criticized the government’s immigration policies following the attack. The ruling coalition, including the SPD, Greens, and the Free Democratic Party (FDP), had previously indicated a tougher approach to migration. In January, they passed a law facilitating the deportation of migrants whose asylum claims have been rejected.
Germany ceased deportations to Afghanistan in 2021 after the Taliban regained power. However, Scholz’s remarks signal a potential reversal of this policy. The suggestion has met resistance from parties like the Greens, who highlight Afghanistan’s poor human rights record.
This new direction underscores the German government’s commitment to enhancing national security amidst growing concerns over violent crime and terrorism. The proposed policy changes reflect a balancing act between maintaining public safety and upholding humanitarian principles in immigration practices.
