Germany’s migration debate flared on Thursday as a flight of 138 people who fled Afghanistan and are classified as vulnerable landed in Germany.
Chancellor-in-waiting Friedrich Merz‘s center-right Christian Democrats (CDU) accused the outgoing coalition of rushing through so-called admission flights ahead of a change of government and fueling support for the far right.
But authorities pointed out that those on the flight had previously been cleared to enter the country, and advocates stressed Berlin’s humanitarian obligations toward those were now in danger in Afghanistan because they had worked for the German military or other German institutions before the Taliban’s takeover of Kabul.
What do we know about the admission flight?
German Interior Ministry figures showed that 45 of those on board the flight were children and young people, and of the remaining adults 76 were female and 62 were male.
The Foreign Office said the passengers were people from various programs who had received a legally binding admission promise.
The plane, chartered by the federal government, took off from the Pakistani capital, Islamabad.
“In these cases, there are concrete, past admission promises from Germany,” emphasizes a spokesman for the Interior Ministry. No new promises would be made.
The spokesman emphasized that security was the top priority for such admissions and that each individual would be screened accordingly before possible entry.
Three flights landed in Germany in February and March. Several similar flights had previously taken place this year, bringing a total of 461 people from Afghanistan. Planes landed in Berlin on February 25 and March 5, and one landed in Hanover on March 27.
Those arriving include the former staff of German institutions in Afghanistan and their relatives, as well as Afghans at risk of persecution by the Taliban. Some, for example, had previously campaigned for human rights as lawyers or journalists.
According to the Federal Foreign Office, around 2,600 particularly vulnerable people from Afghanistan are currently waiting in Pakistan to be admitted to Germany.
What have politicians said about such flights?
An end to such flights is envisaged in a new coalition package agreed by the conservative CDU/CSU bloc and the center-left Social Democrats (SPD).
“We will end voluntary federal admission programs as far as possible and not launch any new programs,” said CDU domestic affairs expert Alexander Throm, pointing out the agreement details.
Acting Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, a Green politician, was taking preemptive action before the new federal government took office, he told German broadcaster ARD.
Jens Spahn, deputy chairman of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group told the broadcaster ZDF that the flights would whip up support for the far-right Alternative for Germany party (AfD).
“Every plane from Afghanistan is a stronger AfD support program than any chairmanship of any committee could be,” he said, referring to the AfD’s exclusion from parliamentary committee chairmanships.
Former Bundestag President Bärbel Bas (SPD) did not rule out the possibility of Germany accepting more people from Afghanistan after the change of power, referring to legal issues and possible agreements with allies.
She added that helping those who have put their necks on the line for Germany was right, referring to the former local staff.
