Compulsory work for asylum seekers in Peine: Controversial district council decision!

Compulsory work for asylum seekers in Peine: Controversial district council decision!

A resolution by the district council in the Peine district is currently causing a lively debate about the obligation to work for asylum seekers. The application, which was submitted by the CDU and the FDP, passed with a narrow majority and affects the approximately 850 asylum seekers in the region. The responsible authorities should now develop a concept for implementing the work obligation, which enables refugees to carry out charitable activities, for example in animal shelters or at food banks, as news38.de reports.

District Administrator Henning Heiß (SPD) expressed his concerns about this controversial matter. He warned of possible additional costs of up to 250,000 euros annually. A particular point of the debate is also that a large number of asylum seekers may not be required to work due to various factors such as being underage, pregnant or single parent status. The administration expects that many of the asylum seekers will be excluded from this obligation, assuming a high administrative effort for checking the reasonableness [ndr.de].

Political reactions and resistance

The decision took place in the district council, where 12 of 51 members were absent, including five from the SPD and two Greens. Left-wing politician Heidi Reichinnek from Berlin also spoke out in the political dispute. You and the Left Party in the federal government condemn compulsory work as an expression of exclusion and disenfranchisement. Human rights organizations such as Pro Asyl are also outraged by the project, which has been criticized as racist and inhumane. Tareq Alaows from Pro Asyl noted that many refugees are not allowed to work at all, which could make practical implementation more difficult.

In the debate, CDU state parliament member Christoph Plett defended the obligation to work and emphasized that integration can be achieved through work. He sees the associated costs as excessive. Excitingly, compulsory work has been successfully applied in the Saale-Orla district in Thuringia since last year, which raises questions about the transferability of this practice to Lower Saxony.

A look into the future

The discussion about the obligation to work for asylum seekers in Peine not only raises questions about the financial aspects, but also about the practical implementation and the human approach to integration policy. A current study by the Institute for Labor Market and Occupational Research (IAB) shows that 64% of the people who fled in 2015 have now found a job, which represents a positive trend compared to the population average of 70%.

Whether the district council decision ultimately makes sense or just puts additional pressure on the already burdened asylum seekers will also shape the coming political debate. One thing is clear: implementation is seen by many as a challenge and could have far-reaching consequences for those affected and society.