Teaching Modern Languages at Post-16 and Beyond (28/6/15) Dr Caroline Pearce, Department of Germanic Studies, University of Sheffield Germany and the Refugee Crisis: Practical Solutions, Political Consequences Terminology and context Integration Multikulturalismus Parallelgesellschaften ‚Einwanderungsland‘ Flüchtlinge, Asylbewerber, Einwanderer, Personen mit Migrationshintergrund, Migranten, Gastarbeiter, Ausländer, Fremde… Rechtspopulismus / Rechtsextremismus ‘Merkel’s policy’? Timeline September 2015: Merkel announces that people fleeing war and persecution are welcome in Germany; so-called ‘Dublin procedure’ suspended for refugees from Syria "Ich glaube, in der augenblicklichen Situation ist es offensichtlich, dass die auf dem Papier stehende europäische Asylpolitik nicht funktioniert.„ (Angela Merkel, 3 September 2015) Thousands of refugees arriving by train in Germany are greeted warmly by local residents and volunteers (Willkommenskultur) By mid-September, 400,000 refugees are arriving daily – the federal states report that they cannot cope with the influx and there is opposition towards the policy among the CDU /CSU Mid-September 2015: border controls are re-established between Germany and Austria Some European leaders distance themselves from German ‘open door’ policy October/November: dispute on proposed ‘transit zones’ at the borders New Year 2015: a series of sexual assaults on German women during New Year’s Eve celebrations in Cologne and other German cities. The perpetrators were mainly men of North African and Arabic background March 2016: Merkel negotiates EU deal with Turkey on refugee policy How many refugees have come to Germany? 1.1 million over the past year 1.26 million asylum applications submitted in the EU (2015) 35% of all applications submitted in Germany (2015) January –April 2015 114,125 asylum applications January-April 2016 246,393 asylum applications Drop in arrivals in 2016 (approx. 80-90 per day) Approx. half of applicants from Syria (around half are granted leave to stay), followed by Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, Albania, Pakistan and Eritrea Two thirds are male; half of these between 18 and 35 Why Germany? Economic reasons Joining family members German government states that refugees are welcome More restrictive policy elsewhere in EU Angela Merkel, Aug 2015: "Unsere Freiheit, unser Rechtsstaat, unsere wirtschaftliche Stärke, die Ordnung, wie wir leben - das ist es, wovon Menschen träumen, die in ihrem Leben Verfolgung, Krieg, Willkür kennengelernt haben." Finance and practicalities Definition of refugee in Basic Law Government introducing an accelerated asylum procedure (around 2,600 decisions taken per day) New staff appointed to deal with asylum cases Asylum seekers allowed to stay for three years initially Refugees seen as bringing economic potential Training/education grants for young refugees Asylum seekers allowed to work after 3 months Finance and practicalities 2 billion euros allocated to look after asylum seekers in 2015 Refugees divided between federal states depending on the income of each state (states receive 670EUR/month per asylum seeker) Refugees can claim up to EUR 351/month for food, accommodation etc. 1 billion euros allocated for new social housing Language and integration measures 180 million euros extra allocated for German language courses in 2016 Refugees granted asylum in Germany have to do a compulsory integration course (600 hours language and 100 hours on German law, history, culture and society) Key importance of learning the language and adhering to principles of the constitution A shift in leadership style? ‘Wir schaffen das!’ (Sept. 2015) ‘Es ist meine verdammte Pflicht und Schuldigkeit’ "Ich kämpfe für diesen Weg…Ich glaube, dass ich Deutschland diene, wenn ich mich mit vollem Einsatz in diese Sache einbringe.“(Oct 2015) „Ich muss ganz ehrlich sagen, wenn wir jetzt anfangen, uns noch entschuldigen zu müssen dafür, dass wir in Notsituationen ein freundliches Gesicht zeigen, dann ist das nicht mein Land.“ (Sept 2015) A shift in leadership style? In a TV interview, Merkel admitted she has no ‘Plan B’ (Oct 2015) Stated that dealing with the migrant crisis was important for Germany’s reputation in the world and to hold Europe together A shift in CDU policy? CDU has been more critical of immigration in the past ‘Deutschland ist kein Einwanderungsland. Es sind daher alle humanitär vertretbaren Maßnahmen zu ergreifen, um den Zuzug von Ausländern zu unterbinden.‘ (CDU/FDP, 1982) 2000: Leitkultur debate stemming from CDU position paper calling for immigration quotas "Der Ansatz für Multikulti ist gescheitert, absolut gescheitert!" (Angela Merkel, 2010) 2014 Merkel presents CDU as a ‘Partei der Migranten’ CSU still critical of Merkel’s approach A ‘moral superpower’? The foreign media in particular has drawn parallels between the situation of the Jews in the 1930s and that of refugees today "Germany's road to redemption shines amid Europe's refugee debate" (Washington Post) Chancellor Merkel praised for her moral stance and strong leadership (New York Times) Tom Segev : "We should learn from the Germans how to treat refugees.“ “The rediscovery of European values” (La Republicca) “Germany’s open-door policy in migrant crisis casts nation in a new light” (Los Angeles Times) Bild: ‘ein helles Deutschland’ Lessons from the past? April 2016: Merkel appealed to Germans expelled from Central and Eastern Europe after the war to act as ‘bridge builders’, asserting that their experience of losing home and homeland put them in the best position to understand the experience of the current wave of refugees. May 2016: at the commemoration of the liberation of Dachau, Jewish representatives drew parallels between Jewish suffering and the plight of today’s refugees Echoes of a negative past Right-wing populism increases in popularity in Europe In Germany, attacks on asylum homes / refugee centres Resurgence of Pegida movement (Patriotische Europäer gegen die Islamisierung des Abendlandes) 2015 over 1000 attacks on refugee accommodation – (3 per day) – five times more than in 2014 Most, but not all, attacks had a far right motive Heidenau, Clausnitz, Bautzen, Tröglitz Dresden – fall in tourist numbers (the ‘Pegida effect’) Right-wing populism at ‘centre of society’ Rise of AfD party ARD ‘Report from Berlin’, October 2015 Legida march, Oct 2015 Shift in public opinion? ZDF Politbarometer January 2016 60% said Germany could not cope with the number of refugees (Dec: 46%) However, 57% disagree with CSU proposal to cap number of arrivals at 200,000 per year 70% expect levels of crime to increase 42% consider Germans social and cultural values are threatened by increase in number of refugees 54% consider that there are high levels of hostility towards foreigners in Germany 56% think that Merkel is not dealing well with the refugee crisis (Dec: 49%) Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) Founded April 2013 Initially eurosceptic / anti-euro Has since adopted an anti-refugee stance Critical of what it sees as lack of control by the state New leader Frauke Petry caused controversy by stating that illegal immigrants should be shot at the borders Party favours a points-based immigration policy Manifesto advocates a ban of Islamic symbols Advocates return of border controls in Europe 4.7% of the vote in general elections 2013 –just shy of 5% hurdle Now has seats in half of Germany‘s federal parliaments and European Parliament but not in any governments European elections 2014 Regional elections May 2016 In Saxony Anhalt AfD won 24% of the vote and became second biggest party behind the CDU (56% said they voted AfD because of the refugee crisis) In Rhineland Palatinate and Baden-Württemberg AfD gained 12% and 15% of the vote The party won over many previous non-voters CDU lost out to Greens in Baden-Württemberg and to the SPD in Rhineland Palatinate Regional elections May 2016 However, the successful Green and SPD candidates supported Merkel’s refugee policy and 30% of voters switching from CDU to Green said they did so because of the refugee crisis Public still seem largely on the side of the government’s refugee policy Increased fragmentation of party landscape and lack of opposition influence due to Grand Coalition government Economic initiatives to welcome refugees https://www.zdh.de/themen/gewerbefoerderung/willkommenslotsen.html https://www.wir-zusammen.de/home https://www.jetzterstrecht.online/ http://ankommer.eu/ https://www.demokratie-leben.de/ http://www.bmfsfj.de/BMFSFJ/Freiwilliges- Engagement/Willkommen-bei-Freunden/willkommen-bei-freunden.html Resources www.bundesregierung.de (Federal Government website; also has pages in English) https://www.bundesregierung.de/Webs/Breg/DE/Mediathek/Einstieg/mediathek_einsti eg_fotos_node.html?id=1432776 (10 facts on refugees / asylum– government website) https://www.bundesregierung.de/Webs/Breg/DE/Mediathek/Einstieg/mediathek_einsti eg_fotos_node.html?id=1933428 (12 facts on integration) Flucht, Migration, Integration: Fakten und Hintergruende https://www.bundesregierung.de/Webs/Breg/DE/Themen/Fluechtlings-Asylpolitik/4- FAQ/_node.html Beauftragte fuer Migration, Fluechtlinge und Integration https://www.bundesregierung.de/Webs/Breg/DE/Bundesregierung/BeauftragtefuerInte gration/beauftragte-fuer-integration.html www.bundeskanzlerin.de (Federal Chancellor‘s website) www.bpb.de (Bundeszentrale fur politische Bildung) http://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/fluechtlinge-und-einwanderer-die-