Left Osnabrück demands CDU stance: asylum law in crisis!

Left Osnabrück demands CDU stance: asylum law in crisis!

In Osnabrück, the discussion about asylum policy is gaining momentum. The Left Osnabrück urgently calls on the CDU district chairwoman Verena Kämmerling to take a stand. The focus is on a petition from Seebrücke, which deals with how the CDU/CSU deals with the fundamental right to asylum. This demand is no coincidence. On June 2, 2025, the Berlin Administrative Court ruled that the rejection of those seeking protection at the German border is unlawful, but leading Union politicians such as Friedrich Merz and Alexander Dobrindt are unimpressed by this ruling and continue to advocate for rejection measures. Critics see this as a clear threat to human rights and the right to asylum, which is deeply rooted in history.

Christoph Erdmann, district spokesman for the Left, is clear: “Silence is not an option.” He emphasizes this in the context of current political developments, which, in his opinion, undermine the fundamental right to asylum. His colleague Alys Leach goes one step further and demands that Kämmerling make a clear commitment against actions that violate human rights. They refer to three central concerns of the Seebrücke petition:

Questions about asylum policy

• Wie steht Kämmerling zu Merz’ Ankündigung eines „faktischen Einreisestopps“?
• Wie beurteilt sie die geplante Einstellung von Aufnahmeprogrammen für Afghanen, obwohl diese bereits genehmigt wurden?
• Wie bewertet sie die drohende Aussetzung des Familiennachzugs für Geflüchtete mit subsidiärem Schutz?

In order to draw attention to the explosive situation, the Left is calling on the people of Osnabrück to support the petition. The goal is to collect at least 5,000 signatures by World Refugee Day on June 20, 2025. “The CDU has to decide whether it wants to continue populist measures or take human rights seriously,” explains Erdmann.

The topic is very topical because around 60 million refugees worldwide are currently looking for a safe haven. These figures, which the UNHCR says are the highest since World War II, largely originate from conflicts such as the civil war in Syria. There continues to be heated debate over asylum policy within the European Union, particularly after the collapse of the Dublin system, which stipulates that responsibility for asylum applications lies with the EU state a refugee first enters. But in Germany and other countries there is little political will to fundamentally reform the asylum system.

The discussion about possible upper limits for asylum applications is particularly worrying. Such caps could lead to systematic human rights violations and are contrary to international agreements. Among other things, the Geneva Refugee Convention of 1951 obliges states to grant refugees residence rights, and Article 33 prohibits the rejection of refugees without examining their asylum application. This shows that pushbacks at the border without proper verification are unlawful and violate basic human rights.

In this context, it is essential that political decision-makers take clear and solidarity-based positions on the ongoing refugee flows. The path to protecting the rights and protection of refugees must be pursued consistently in the coming weeks and months. Osnabrück is facing a crucial time, and whether the CDU will continue to rely on populist slogans or take responsibility remains to be seen.

The Left finds itself in a key position, and it is up to the people of Osnabrück to raise their voices and campaign for the protection of human rights.

For more information and to support the petition, visit the Linke Osnabrück website: dielinke-osnabrueck.de.