This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/oct/09/bavaria-threatens-legal-merkels-germany-open-door-refugee-policy

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Bavaria threatens legal challenge to Merkel's open door refugee policy Bavaria threatens legal challenge to Merkel's open door refugee policy
(about 1 hour later)
The state of Bavaria is threatening to challenge Angela Merkel’s open door refugee policy in Germany’s highest court, its leader said on Friday, at the same time as he announced a multimillion euro four-year plan to integrate the tens of thousands who are already in the state. The state of Bavaria is threatening to challenge Angela Merkel’s open door refugee policy in Germany’s highest court, its leader said on Friday, at the same time as he announced a four-year plan to integrate the tens of thousands who are already in the state.
Horst Seehofer of the Christian Social Union, the Bavaria-based sister party to Merkel’s Christian Democrats, said he was prepared to take his case before the constitutional court in Karlsruhe if the chancellor failed to put a limit on the number of refugees entering Germany. Horst Seehofer of the Christian Social Union, the Bavarian sister party of Merkel’s Christian Democrats, said he was prepared to take his case before the constitutional court in Karlsruhe if the chancellor failed to limit the number of refugees entering Germany.
“I have the backing of the cabinet to take emergency measures, and to pursue a lawsuit,” he said.“I have the backing of the cabinet to take emergency measures, and to pursue a lawsuit,” he said.
Seehofer’s intervention came as Germany’s interior minister said there have been 490 attacks on refugee shelters across the country so far this year, a threefold increase on 2014. Seehofer’s intervention came as Germany’s interior minister said there had been 490 attacks on refugee shelters across the country so far this year, a threefold increase on 2014.
Thomas de Maizière described the violence as shameful and said the figure represented “a massive increase of xenophobic attacks against asylum seekers”.Thomas de Maizière described the violence as shameful and said the figure represented “a massive increase of xenophobic attacks against asylum seekers”.
Related: Refugee crisis: Germany creaks under strain of open door policyRelated: Refugee crisis: Germany creaks under strain of open door policy
Seehofer stopped short of a previous threat to close Bavaria’s borders – which as the state’s minister-president he does not have the legal power to do – while saying if the government did not act to improve the situation, “we’ll do whatever is necessary”. Seehofer stopped short of a previous threat to close Bavaria’s borders – which as the state’s minister-president he does not have the legal power to do – while saying that if the government did not act to improve the situation, “we’ll do whatever is necessary”.
The announcement followed a meeting of his cabinet that produced an action plan of concrete measures for the reception and integration of newcomers to the largest and richest of Germany’s 16 federal states. The announcement followed a meeting of his cabinet that produced an multimillion-euro plan of measures for the reception and integration of newcomers to the largest and richest of Germany’s 16 federal states.
By 2019 more than 3,700 jobs are to be created in the fields of judiciary, police, administration and education to address some of the administrative challenges posed by the incoming refugees and migrants. There are also plans to create 60,000 jobs and 20,000 apprenticeship positions for refugees themselves, under a programme called Encourage Cohesion, Strengthen Integration, which will be anchored in law. Schools will be provided with 1,700 teachers, Seehofer said, stressing that “education is the gateway to integration”. By 2019 more than 3,700 jobs are to be created in the judiciary, police, administration and education to address some of the administrative challenges posed by the incoming refugees and migrants. There are also plans to create 60,000 jobs and 20,000 apprenticeships for refugees themselves, under a programme called Encourage Cohesion, Strengthen Integration, which will be anchored in law. Schools will be provided with 1,700 teachers, Seehofer said, stressing that “education is the gateway to integration”.
He added that housing stocks would be considerably bolstered to include a mix of temporary and permanent flats, built at a rate of 6,000 to 7,000 a year, which as far as possible would be integrated in existing infrastructures “so as to avoid the formation of ghettos”. He added that the housing stock would be considerably bolstered to include a mix of temporary and permanent flats, built at a rate of 6,000 to 7,000 a year, which as far as possible would be integrated in existing infrastructures “so as to avoid the formation of ghettoes”.
The integration law would also include a “canon of basic values” he said, because of the need to create a society “where people live with each other,” which was “as important for the residents of Bavaria as it is for the refugees”. The integration law would also include a “canon of basic values”, he said, because of the need to create a society “where people live with each other”, which was “as important for the residents of Bavaria as it is for the refugees”.
The entire programme is to cost about €489m (£363m), he said, adding that while it seemed like a lot of money, “it will be money well spent, because the costs to us if integration fails will be a lot higher”.The entire programme is to cost about €489m (£363m), he said, adding that while it seemed like a lot of money, “it will be money well spent, because the costs to us if integration fails will be a lot higher”.
It is the most comprehensive plan yetproduced by any German politician to tackle the refugee issue. It is the most comprehensive plan yet produced by any German politician to tackle the refugee issue.
Seehofer has been at loggerheads with Merkel for weeks over the refugee crisis, criticising the chancellor on an almost daily basis for her apparent lack of a plan and blaming her for the huge numbers who have been arriving in Germany, most of which have entered at the Austrian border with Bavaria.Seehofer has been at loggerheads with Merkel for weeks over the refugee crisis, criticising the chancellor on an almost daily basis for her apparent lack of a plan and blaming her for the huge numbers who have been arriving in Germany, most of which have entered at the Austrian border with Bavaria.
An estimated 170,000 arrived in Bavaria just last month. More are continuing to arrive at a rate of about 1,000 a day.An estimated 170,000 arrived in Bavaria just last month. More are continuing to arrive at a rate of about 1,000 a day.
In a television interview on Wednesday, Merkel sought to paper over their differences, praising Seehofer for his efforts during the refugee crisis, and insisting she did have a management plan. She has seen her popularity ratings fall while his have risen, as a direct result of the crisis. In a television interview on Wednesday, Merkel sought to paper over their differences, praising Seehofer for his efforts during the refugee crisis, and insisting that she did have a management plan. She has seen her popularity ratings fall while Seehofer’s have risen, as a direct result of the crisis.
Related: Germany expects up to 1.5 million asylum seekers in 2015, says reportRelated: Germany expects up to 1.5 million asylum seekers in 2015, says report
In a week when it was estimated Germany may expect to receive between 1 million and 1.5 million refugees by the end of this year, partly on the basis that people already here will send for family members, Seehofer insisted that if the numbers were not controlled, there was a danger that Germany’s internal security could be affected. In a week when it was estimated Germany may expect to receive between 1 million and 1.5 million refugees by the end of this year, partly on the basis that people already here would send for family members, Seehofer insisted that if the numbers were not controlled, there was a danger that Germany’s internal security could be affected.
“We need a limit to immigration to maintain our internal security,” he said. “I don’t want to be seen as a scaremonger but our security is one of the main reasons why a limit is necessary. The discussions I’ve had with police and security experts make me very concerned. We need to be very vigilant, so I repeat my demand to Berlin to limit immigration,” he added, calling for better protection of the EU’s external borders. “We need a limit to immigration to maintain our internal security,” he said. “I don’t want to be seen as a scaremonger but our security is one of the main reasons why a limit is necessary.
But in her television interview, Merkel insisted closing Germany’s borders was not an option. “The discussions I’ve had with police and security experts make me very concerned. We need to be very vigilant, so I repeat my demand to Berlin to limit immigration,” he added, calling for better protection of the European Union’s external borders.
“We cannot close the borders,” she said. “We carry out checks there but we have 3,000km of border – do you want to erect a fence the full length of it? People will still find ways to come.” But in her television interview, Merkel insisted closing Germany’s borders was not an option. “We cannot close the borders,” she said. “We carry out checks there but we have 3,000km of border – do you want to erect a fence the full length of it? People will still find ways to come.”
Seehofer said he had not seen Merkel’s interview. But he said: “It’s a capitulation to say we cannot protect the borders.”Seehofer said he had not seen Merkel’s interview. But he said: “It’s a capitulation to say we cannot protect the borders.”