Hanover Mayor Belit Onay Criticizes Decision to Cut Funding for Integration Courses

Hanover Mayor Belit Onay issued sharp criticism of the federal government's decision to cut the budget for integration courses for migrants. In a letter addressed to Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt, Onay, along with a group of parliamentarians from the SPD, the Greens, and the Left party, called for the immediate resumption of funding and the restoration of full access to language and integration services. Integrationskurse, or state integration courses, have been a cornerstone of German migration policy since the beginning of the 21st century. They were legally regulated in 2005, and their goal is to teach newly arrived migrants the German language and provide basic knowledge about the country's history, culture, and legal system.The politicians argue that the suspension of funds simultaneously impacts three groups. First, it prevents refugees and migrants from acquiring key competencies necessary for independent functioning in the job market and society. Second, it threatens the existence of numerous course-providing organizations, which base their operations on this funding. Third, it undermines the long-term efforts of local municipalities, for whom the integration of new residents is a key social and economic task. „Diese Entscheidung hat weitreichende Folgen für Geflüchtete, für die Kursträger und für unsere Integrationsbemühungen auf kommunaler Ebene” (This decision has far-reaching consequences for refugees, for the course providers, and for our integration efforts at the municipal level.) — Belit Onay and co-signatories The initiative by the Green politician found broad resonance. Parliamentarians from three opposition left-wing and center-left parties joined the appeal, indicating cross-party opposition to this specific austerity measure. Notably, the state government of Lower Saxony, to which Hanover belongs, had previously taken a similar stance, addressing Minister Dobrindt after information about the cuts became public. This coordination between the state and municipal levels underscores the scale of concern over the decision made at the federal level. This dispute is part of a broader debate about the priorities of German migration policy and the scope of responsibility of different levels of government for the integration process.