Saxony-Anhalt needs immigration if it does not want to lose its political and economic importance - that is the unmistakable message of a recent study by the Leibniz Institute for Regional Geography. The investigation came to a close in the summer of this year and does not give the state government of Saxony-Anhalt a good report.
It has not been published so far - but a high-ranking official has lost his job, under whose leadership the 2017 study was commissioned. The head of the department "Demographic Development and Forecasts" was convicted, as reported by the "Mitteldeutsche Zeitung". Government circles confirm the procedure to the SPIEGEL.
In addition, disciplinary proceedings against the official were initiated. The responsible ministry of state development under Thomas Webel (CDU) answered the newspaper no questions about the case and referred to the protection of privacy. The study will be "tested".
According to the report, the now defunct Head of Unit had been appearing publicly for years as an expert on demographic forecasts and had "referred to the context of aging, birth rates and immigration". In the meantime, he is to work as Head of Unit for "Securing State Development".
"Would be unbelievable": Greens demand opinion of Webel
The Green Party in the state parliament of Saxony-Anhalt, which together with CDU and SPD forms the government majority, urged Minister Webel to explain the events. If the reports confirm, "that would be incredible and unworthy of a democracy," said Group leader Cornelia Lüddemann. "I expect Minister Thomas Webel to comment on this in the State Development and Transport Committee next Thursday."
At the request of the Greens, the study will also be discussed in the Landtag next February. For Saxony-Anhalt immigration was existential, said Lüddemann. "The study substantiates a well-known fact that anyone who denies this puts the future of Saxony-Anhalt at stake."
The Green MP Sebastian Striegel told the SPIEGEL: "Who wants to solve the problems of Saxony-Anhalt, they must first take note, so there is no reason to keep racism as an existing barrier to immigration up the mountain."
Similarly expressed Andreas Steppuhn, Vice-faction leader of the SPD in Saxony-Anhalt. Steppuhn told the "Central German newspaper": "That Saxony-Anhalt needs immigration, no reputable research institute would deny." He could not and would not believe "that an official should be punished for a study with this message." On the contrary, I expect the entire state government to advance the goal of qualified immigration, as agreed in the coalition agreement. "
Researchers see "establishment of an immigration culture" at risk
The results of the study, which is available to the SPIEGEL, give the two groups right: Saxony-Anhalt must rely more on immigration from abroad, write the authors. Otherwise threatened the "administration and shaping of the shrinkage", a loss of federal significance and a significant threat to the economy in the country.
However, not only comparatively low wages, but also xenophobia would stand in the way of the necessary immigration. "Politicians and administrators, as well as business and civil society, are called upon at all administrative levels to explain to the population the need for international immigration, to overcome prejudices and reservations, and to create attractive conditions for newcomers to compete for the best minds to succeed, "the authors write in the study.
Xenophobia hampers "the establishment of an immigration culture" and shames the reputation of the state of Saxony-Anhalt in Germany and abroad. It should therefore be "identified as a problem for a sustainable development of the country".
In addition to immigration, the study also mentions other measures that could improve the demographic situation in Saxony-Anhalt, including family support, more youth services and infrastructure investment. However, the focus is on migration, as the title of the study shows: "avoiding emigration, strengthening return migration, promoting integration".
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