In a recent interview, the Green Party’s candidate for Chancellor, Robert Habeck, denied the existence of an internal conflict within the party regarding migration policy. “No, there is no directional dispute within the Greens” Habeck told the Rheinische Post.
He acknowledged that migration and asylum policy are complex and emotional issues, as they involve human lives and multiple aspects, including humanitarian obligations, a duty to protect and the burden on local authorities, schools and communities. Habeck stated that, although there are integration challenges, people should not be stigmatized under a general suspicion. “There’s nothing easy about it, but the faction and party leadership stand very united on these issues” he added.
Regarding migration, Habeck claimed that the current government has achieved more in the past three years than the previous government under Angela Merkel’s leadership in terms of regulating irregular migration. However, he emphasized the need for migration in the labor market and better integration.
When asked if the government could have acted with more consequence in migration and security policy, Habeck replied, “We were the ones who pushed for the laws for the joint reform of the EU asylum system to be passed in parliament before the election and it was the Union that blocked it.”
Regarding enforcement deficiencies, Habeck expressed his willingness to give the state interior ministers the benefit of the doubt, stating, “I won’t assume anything bad about them, but the tens of thousands of outstanding arrest warrants are not the responsibility of the federal government to carry out.” He also criticized the lack of digitalization in two-thirds of the foreign authorities, which hinders the exchange with the central register of foreigners. “It’s hard work to improve and it doesn’t bring super headlines. But this hard work must be done” Habeck concluded.