Bundestag Passes Controversial Asylum Reform and New Powers for Bundeswehr

The German parliament has adopted a fundamental reform of the asylum system, aligning national legislation with the European Common Asylum System. Commentators describe these changes as the deepest intervention in the right to asylum in over three decades. A key element of the new regulations is the introduction of rigorous procedures at the EU's external borders, aimed at quickly verifying individuals with a low chance of receiving protection. The reform also envisages increased permissibility of using coercive measures, including restrictions on liberty, against individuals awaiting decisions in reception centers. However, the legislative process was not smooth; the Bundestag resorted to the rarely used 'hammelsprung' procedure, a physical headcount by MPs entering the chamber through designated doors, indicating immense tensions within the governing coalition and uncertainty about the parliamentary majority. Since the 2015 migration crisis, Germany has grappled with increasing social polarization and pressure on welfare systems, leading to a fundamental re-evaluation of the previous 'open-door' policy in favor of strictly restrictive solutions.Political perspectives on the new regulations are starkly different. Representatives of the Christian Democratic Union CDU/CSU describe the adoption of the reform as a 'new chapter' in migration policy, while simultaneously pushing for an even tougher course. Conversely, politicians from the Greens and the Left party are sounding the alarm, pointing out that the new law will primarily impact vulnerable groups, including children and youth. Criticism also comes from the church (EKD) and human rights organizations, which accuse the government of de facto routinely applying deprivation of liberty to refugees. In parallel, the Bundestag passed an expansion of the competencies of Bundeswehr in the area of defense against drones, a direct response to military lessons from the conflict in Ukraine and the need to protect critical infrastructure. „Das ist ein neues Kapitel in der Migrationspolitik, das endlich für mehr Kontrolle und Ordnung sorgt.” — Head of the CSU regional group in the Bundestag, supporting a tougher asylum course.