The Greens’ parliamentary group has filed an organ‑law suit with the Federal Constitutional Court, challenging the government’s newly enacted power to name “safe‑origin countries” by regulation. In the suit the Greens argue that the Basic Law gives this decision‑making authority exclusively to the Bundestag and the Bundesrat. According to a 62‑page complaint reported by “Spiegel”, the Greens have already submitted the case in Karlsruhe.
Earlier this week the cabinet adopted a regulation that designates Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Ghana, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Senegal and Serbia as safe‑origin countries. The new rule will come into force on 1 February 2026, allowing asylum applications from these states to be rejected more swiftly. The term “safe‑origin country” refers to states where, according to lawmakers, the government does not pose a threat of persecution and where human rights are essentially respected.
Irene Mihalic, the Greens’ first parliamentary chief, told “Spiegel” on Tuesday that the group will not accept what she calls a “constitutional‑breach self‑expansion of the Bundestag”. She stressed that, amid an era in which authoritarian regimes claim the right to act beyond law, the rule of law must be upheld without compromise.
Greens lawmaker Till Steffen warned that the consequences of the asylum‑law change are clear. He said Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) is planning to declare Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria as safe‑origin states – despite evidence of persecution against political opponents, journalists and LGBTQ+ people – and intends to do so without any parliamentary debate.