NEWS FROM BERLIN
Activist can stay in Germany for the time being after pro-Palestinian protest
An Irishman who was ordered to leave Germany because he was involved in pro-Palestinian protests in Berlin can stay for the time being. This was decided by the Berlin Administrative Court in summary proceedings. The Berlin State Office for Immigration had revoked the man’s EU freedom of movement rights, along with those of an Irish woman and a Polish woman and also wanted to expel an American person. In the view of the Administrative Court, the State Office for Immigration did not “sufficiently fulfil its official duty of investigation” when deciding to revoke EU freedom of movement rights. Source: rbb
When a civil servant says no
The Berlin Administration wants to deport 4 people who were involved in the occupation of a university in the context of Palestinian protests. However, the immigration authorities initially refused to comply with such an instruction. Emails between the Senate Interior Administration and the head of department at the “Landesamt für Einwanderung” (LEA) show the conflict, where the latter said she could not comply with the instruction of deportation, mentioning “legal reasons”. According to the right of remonstration, civil servants are obliged to object to instructions that they consider to be potentially unlawful. Source: Frag den Staat
Wage dispute at Charité in Berlin escalates
At Charité, the wage dispute between the service company Charité Facility Management GmbH (CFM) and the trade union ver.di appears to be escalating. While the union holds out the prospect of further strikes, the CFM has applied to the labour court to impose an administrative fine on the union – or, alternatively, an administrative detention order against the union secretary Gisela Neunhöffer, who is leading the negotiations. At the heart of the current dispute is the extent to which emergency service staffing can deviate from normal staffing during a strike. Source: nd-aktuell
Fewer and fewer car drivers in Berlin
People in Berlin seem to be taking the demand from some environmental organisations seriously: there are fewer car owners and fewer car drives. This is shown by a study by the Technical University of Dresden. Between 2013 and 2023, the proportion of so-called motorised private transport (MIV), which mainly consists of cars, fell from 30 to 22 percent. During the same period, the proportion of people walking increased from 31 to 34 per cent. There was hardly any change in local public transport, which accounted for 26 per cent in 2023. The share of cycling increased by five percentage points to 18 per cent in a ten-year comparison. Source: rbb
NEWS FROM GERMANY
Regressive coalition against human rights and humanity
“The coalition results clearly show a dangerous departure from human rights achievements – there is a threat of a regressive coalition against human rights and humanity,” warns Karl Kopp, Executive Director of PRO ASYL, Germany’s largest pro-immigration advocacy organisation. This is particularly evident in the planned turning away of people seeking protection at German borders – contrary to European law and the constitution. The coalition agreement provides a massive tightening of this asylum procedure, with the principle of official investigation to be replaced by the principle of production of evidence; this places the burden of proof on those seeking protection. Source: proasyl
A CDU district association calls for an end to the firewall against the AfD
The CDU/CSU is apparently on the verge of a coalition agreement with the SPD, but frustration is growing at its grassroots level. A CDU district association is now calling for more toughness and an end to the firewall against the AfD. “The CDU has clearly lost the election in the east,” reads the resolution of the Harz district association. The district association apparently sees cooperation with the AfD as a possible solution. However, the state association of the wider CDU in Saxony-Anhalt made it clear: “No cooperation with the AfD and Linke,” announced state executive director Mario Zeising. Source: Spiegel
New federal government wants to cancel citizens’ allowance for Ukrainians
Until now, Ukrainian refugees have been able to receive citizen’s allowance. However, this is set to change: the newcomers, according to plans of the new coalition, will receive the same social benefits as all asylum seekers. That new regulation will apply to refugees who entered the country after 1 April 2025. Natalija Bock, who herself came to Germany from Ukraine more than 20 years ago and is committed to helping the war refugees, criticises that this regulation treats future Ukrainian refugees differently to those who arrived earlier. Source: mdr
Jusos speak out against coalition agreement
The SPD youth organization (“Juso”) is against the coalition agreement with the CDU/CSU. “Our vote is to reject it,” said Juso leader Philipp Türmer in the RTL/ntv programme Frühstart. The decisive question for the Jusos is: “Is the content of this coalition agreement sufficient for truly different policy? Unfortunately, we have to say: it’s not enough for us,”he added. Particularly in the areas of asylum, migration, labour and social affairs, the Jusos believe that the agreement is “going down the wrong path.” In other areas, such as taxes and finance, it is too unambitious, said Türmer. Source: Zeit
