It took around eight years. Now the EU has (almost) reached an agreement on the issue of asylum. But there are doubts among the Greens and the SPD - and Viktor Orbán misses the mark.
Brussels/Berlin – On Wednesday (April 10th) the EU (almost) finally agreed on new asylum rules in Parliament. After almost a decade of negotiations. But opinions about the deal vary widely. When asked by
IPPEN.MEDIA
, European politicians spoke partly of a “milestone” and partly of a “sad day for European asylum law”. And at the center of the storm are the Greens once again.
As part of the traffic light coalition, they helped make the agreement possible - but as the opposition in Europe, they voted against it. “Europe gets binding rules with humanity and order. Mandatory solidarity is a milestone,” said Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock minutes after the European Parliament’s vote. Baden-Württemberg's Prime Minister Winfried Kretschmann also praised the agreement. But the prominent Green asylum politician Erik Marquardt expressed himself completely differently. And there are hardly any hidden doubts to be heard from the SPD either.
Asylum differences among the Greens: “Differences also with Baerbock and Kretschmann”
There are “differences to the attitude of Annalena Baerbock and Winfried Kretschmann,” Marquardt admitted to
IPPEN.MEDIA
on Thursday .
One position is that one has proven the ability to act,
“and that basically makes sense.” They wanted to present a compromise before the European elections. However, the following applies: “It can’t just be about symbols, in the end something has to improve.” He himself voted against the asylum package, and party conference resolutions had strengthened the support of the European faction. “But it shouldn’t be about party tactics now, but rather how to better organize the asylum system and not lose sight of the fact that it’s about people.”
Europe's new asylum package GEAS: The SPD also has doubts - cheers from the Union
GEAS is “far from a perfect legislative package and as a social democratic group we had to make major concessions,” admitted EU MP Birgit Sippel to
IPPEN.MEDIA
. New “clear rules” and the lever for upholding European law are important. The justice and home affairs expert also indicated that she has some concerns. The Commission must be a “guardian of the treaties” and “immediately sanction” violations by member states in order to consistently punish human rights violations, she emphasized. In doing so, Sippel was actually calling for something to be taken for granted - and in doing so shed a spotlight on practice in the EU.
The mood among the CDU in the EU Parliament seems to be completely different. “With the agreement we are also achieving a triumph of European values over political stagnation and boycott,” said Lena Düpont (CDU) happily when asked. The domestic policy spokeswoman for the CDU and CSU in parliament praised a “fair”, “efficient” and “sustainable” asylum and migration system.
SPD swallows asylum compromise in Brussels - Hungary and Poland are shaking it up again
Marquardt doubts this – as well as the hope that “GEAS” will weaken right-wing populists.
“The mood now is that a common solution has been found. But it wasn't a simple solution that was decided, but rather 1,000 pages of complicated rules. A lot of additional bureaucracy will be created.” He expects a “big patchwork quilt”.
But that also gives scope for implementation. “Asylum law is worse than before, but it has not been abolished. There is just more work.” Many areas are not affected by CEAS at all, such as integration, workforce and the design of agreements with third countries.
Marquardt criticized the conservatives. Their basic assumption is “that right-wing populists can be weakened by adopting parts of their demands and prejudices, or by 'picking up people at the regulars' tables'. But it hasn't just been seen since yesterday that this doesn't work." Of course, it's about solving real problems - but also about "perception of the crisis" and "about how to explain the situation and promote the right to asylum. This was shown in the case of Ukraine.”
The plans are already being shaken up. “Hungary will never bow to the mass migration rush!” wrote Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on (
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