A key party in Germany’s ruling coalition has proposed tightening deportation policies, calling for the return of migrants to countries including Afghanistan, Syria, and Ukraine, a move that has sparked sharp debate among migrant rights advocates, according to TOLOnews.
The Christian Social Union (CSU), the Bavarian sister party of Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democrats’ coalition partner, has drafted a proposal for consideration in the Bavarian state parliament. The document urges an expansion of deportations and explicitly calls for increasing the number of Afghan nationals returned from Germany, according to international media reports.
The proposal comes as pressure on Afghan migrants continues to mount across Europe, driven by domestic political concerns over migration, security, and integration. While the CSU argues that stricter enforcement is necessary to uphold the rule of law, critics warn that the policy risks violating Germany’s humanitarian obligations.
Nazar Nazari, a migrant rights activist, described the proposal as deeply troubling. “Deporting migrants is an inhumane approach, especially coming from Germany, a country that has long positioned itself as a defender of human rights,” he said. Nazari argued that sustainable solutions should focus on granting legal residency, providing psychological support, and expanding pathways to social and economic integration.
Other activists offered more nuanced assessments. Mohammad Jamal Muslim, another migrant advocate, said the proposal sends a clear message to migrants living in Germany. “Those who comply with the country’s laws and conditions may be allowed to stay,” he said, “but others could face rapid deportation under a variety of pretexts.”
Mujeeb-ur-Rahman Atal, speaking to TOLOnews, warned that deporting Afghans and Syrians could contravene international law. Many, he said, face severe security risks, armed conflict, and humanitarian crises in their home countries. Such returns, he added, run counter to the principle of non-refoulement enshrined in the 1951 Refugee Convention, which prohibits sending refugees back to places where they face serious harm.
The CSU’s proposal aligns with earlier statements by Germany’s interior minister, who has pledged to accelerate the deportation of migrants convicted of serious crimes, including returns to Afghanistan and Syria, potentially using regular commercial flights.
As the debate intensifies, Germany once again finds itself balancing domestic political pressures with its long-standing commitments to asylum and international humanitarian law.
