Can the current social climate in Germany following the attack in Solingen jeopardize the integration of refugees? There, an asylum seeker killed three people with a knife at a town festival and injured several others. “Such situations are very difficult,” said Ute Leidig, State Secretary in the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Social Affairs and Integration, during a visit to the tuenews editorial team.
Attacks like the one in Solingen cause great fear. People wanted to feel safe at home and at festivals. But they felt this safety was threatened by those like the perpetrator who come to Germany and “demand protection themselves”. It is difficult to understand why some of the refugees who are granted this protection “become radicalized here”. The State Secretary finds it understandable that there are calls to fight back.
However, Leidig rejected calls such as those made by CDU leader Friedrich Merz to stop allowing people from Syria or Afghanistan into the country. “Our Basic Law contains the right to asylum. It does not differentiate between countries of origin.” This arose from the experience that many people from Germany were unable to find protection in other countries after the Nazis seized power and were murdered in Germany.
However, the State Secretary also said that “we must react” to acts such as those in Solingen. Germany is a constitutional state. This means that things that are not permitted here “will be punished with all the severity available to us as a state.” Offenders must be “found, taken into custody, sentenced and then deported.” However, deportation is not easy because many countries refuse to take these people back. Germany also needs to tighten up its weapons law and “control, punish and sanction” violations.
Does the State Secretary fear that a tougher social climate will make integration work more difficult? At the moment, Leidig does not believe that “the many refugee aids in Baden-Württemberg that radiate welcome” will be lost. With regard to the members of the editorial team, Leidig said that she finds it “unbearable and unfair” when refugees who live here and say “this is my home” are met with rejection and discrimination. She countered this with all those who support refugees: “There are more of us and I hope it stays that way.”
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Die Staatssekretärin Dr. Ute Leidig vom baden-württembergischen Sozial- und Integrationsministerium besuchte die Redaktion von tuenews INTERNATIONAL. Foto: tünews INTERNATIONAL / Mostafa Elyasian.
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