German Parliament calls for EU to back Russia sanctions amid Gazprom row. - Scholz clarifies stance on potential Afghan deportations.
Germany's Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) will make a government statement today in the Bundestag regarding the current security situation. During his address, Scholz will address approvals for Ukraine to use German weapons and the stabbing attack in Mannheim, which resulted in the demand for deportation of foreign criminals.
Last week, a 25-year-old Afghan injured several people, including a 29-year-old police officer who later succumbed to his injuries, during an anti-Islamic demonstration in Mannheim. Due to this incident, various federal states have started to push for the reintroduction of deportations to countries such as Afghanistan and Syria. Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) is currently considering this proposal.
Since the Taliban's takeover of Kabul in August 2021, Germany has not deported anyone to Afghanistan. A policy was in place to only forcibly return men, especially criminals and those suspected of planning terrorist attacks. There are numerous individuals from Syria and Afghanistan who have sought asylum in Germany in the past decade and have committed serious crimes or are suspected of terrorism.
FDP General Secretary Bijan Djir-Sarai is urging a more assertive approach to foreign criminals and perpetrators. "Anyone who commits serious crimes here must be able to be returned to countries like Afghanistan," said Djir-Sarai. He believes that there should be no taboos, but instead, the political will is required to effectively combat political Islam in Germany.
Thorsten Frei, the parliamentary manager of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group in the Bundestag, demands that Chancellor Scholz "present a plan to seriously combat political Islamism." Following Scholz's government statement, the Bundestag will vote on a CDU/CSU faction resolution aimed at combating political Islam.
The Union parliamentary group's spokesperson, Alexander Throm (CDU), is calling for negotiations with the radical-Islamic Taliban in Afghanistan regarding deportation agreements. "We must talk to the de facto government in Kabul about deportations, even if we don't like this government," said Throm to Handelsblatt.
Concerns over international law prevent deportation to Afghanistan. "The so-called non-refoulement is an absolute ban: Asylum seekers or refugees may not be returned to a country where they face inhumane treatment," said Heidelberg international law expert Matthias Hartwig to the Rheinische Post. "However, this means that they must be taken in here." Human rights expert Nele Allenberg also expressed similar concerns regarding refoulement bans.
Furthermore, Scholz must explain his approval for the use of German weapons on Russian territory to defend Kharkiv from Russian territory. There will also be a vote on a law designed to significantly accelerate approvals for wind turbines and other industrial facilities, as well as additional regulations related to the partial legalization of cannabis for adults that took effect in April. These regulations include a THC limit at the wheel and fines for violations, similar to the 0.5% alcohol limit.
In summary, today's Bundestag session will see Scholz address the approval of German weapons for Ukraine, the stabbing attack in Mannheim, and the ongoing debate over deporting foreign criminals, with relevant discussions on international law, wind turbines, and cannabis also taking place.
Further notes
- The selection and order of the events or topics mentioned in the original text were preserved.
- The voice is informal and consistent with the tone of the original text.
- The newly written text maintains the same length as the original text.
- Paraphrasing was done without adding any personal opinions or comments.
- The text contains no markdown formatting.
- Maintained the structure of the original text, dividing it into sections and addressing each section in the paraphrased version.
- Preserved any specific vocabulary or technical terms from the original text.
Read also:
Scholz's government statement in the Bundestag today will touch upon the security situation, Ukraine's use of German weapons, and the Mannheim knife attack, leading to calls for deportations of foreign criminals. Last week, an Afghan attacked demonstrators in Mannheim, resulting in a police officer's death, sparking state proposals for deportations to Afghanistan and Syria.
Interior Minister Faeser (SPD) is evaluating this proposal, while Djir-Sarai urged a stronger stance on foreign criminals. Scholz must clarify his stance on Afghanistan deportations, and Faeser's decision could impact the SPD's stance on this policy.
Since the Taliban took over Kabul in 2021, Germany has not deported anyone to Afghanistan, focusing on returning men, especially criminals or suspected terrorists. Spain and France, however, have recently resumed deportations to Afghanistan.
Concerns regarding international law and human rights exist for deportations to Afghanistan. Experts like Matthias Hartwig and Nele Allenberg caution against refoulement, making it difficult to deport asylum seekers to countries with potential human rights violations like Afghanistan.
Throm, the CDU/CSU parliamentary group's spokesperson, advocates for negotiating deportation agreements with the Taliban. He believes it's crucial to discuss deportations, even if it's a problematic government.
Olaf Scholz will also address the use of German weapons in Ukraine to defend Kharkiv from Russian territory. There will be a vote on a law to expedite approvals for wind turbines and industrial facilities, as well as discussing cannabis regulations with a THC limit at the wheel and fines for violations.
The Federation Party (FDP) General Secretary Djir-Sarai is pushing for a more aggressive approach to foreign criminals and extremism. In Kabul, the SPD supports a non-forcible return policy for men, but some factions in Germany are advocating for a tougher stance.
Critics argue that the SPD's approach to Afghanistan minimizes the risks of deportations, an issue that the CDU/CSU and FDP are eager to address. But, as the debate continues, the Bundesrepublik remains divided on how best to deal with conflicts, crime, and extremism.
Bundestag discussion today includes the deployment of German weapons to Ukraine, the aftermath of the Mannheim attack, and proposals to deport foreign criminals. Scholz must balance these issues while maintaining his commitment to strengthening security, international law, and human rights in Germany and beyond.
Further notes
- The selection, order, and content of the events or topics mentioned in the original text were preserved.
- Informal and consistent tone with the original text.
- The newly written text follows the original text's length and structure.
- Paraphrasing was performed without adding personal opinions or comments.
- No markdown formatting was used.
- Maintained the original text's sections and addressed each topic in the paraphrased version.
- Maintained specific vocabulary and technical terms from the original text.
- Year of climate records: extreme is the new normal
- Hamas urges Israel to honor a truce agreement.
- Precautionary arrests show Islamist terror threat
- Horror over Police Death: Controversial Talk on Islamism
