MIGRATION-GERMANY: New Hope Arises for Integration

By Julio Godoy Reprint | | Print |

Julio Godoy

BERLIN, Jul 19 2007 (IPS) - A summit on integration of some 15 million migrants into German society has produced an ambitious new programme.

The plan approved by the summit Jul. 12 includes about 400 measures, including such salient ones as more German language courses, more public service jobs for immigrants and those of immigrant origin, more training for youth in businesses, and special learning aid for children.

The plan is critical in a country of 82 million where immigrants and those of immigrant origin add up to a substantial minority. Under the plan these new measures should be in place by 2010.

Chancellor Angela Merkel, several ministers, and representatives of all political parties attended the summit, along with delegates from immigrant groups, and social and humanitarian organisations.

The summit was indirect acknowledgement that Germany has become substantially an ‘Einwanderungsland’ – a country of immigration.

The plan is bold, but not binding, and comes late in a country with more than 40 years of migration history. “We have failed 40 years long in this matter, now we have to bring about this policy within one year,” Armin Laschet, minister for integration in the federal sate of North Rhine Westphalia said at the summit. “This is going to need enormous effort.”

The failure to implement a timely integration policy is most evident among some 15.3 million people of immigrant origin, including eight million who have German nationality. A majority of these are of Turkish origin.

Sevim Dagdelen, spokesperson on immigration with the opposition Left Party says that given its non-binding character, the plan could be seen as only “a collection of good intentions, and lip service to integration.” A spokesperson of the opposition Free Liberal Party called the plan “too vague”.

Sebastian Edathy, president of the commission for domestic policies at the German parliament, and leading member of the ruling Social Democratic Party, called on the government to launch a “massive naturalisation campaign” to complement the integration plan.

“We have to transform the immigrants into citizens of this country, we have to see that they become German citizens and not only inhabitants of Germany,” Edathy said.

Despite criticism of the summit and the integration plan, Chancellor Merkel called it “a milestone in the policy of immigration in Germany.” President of the Green party, Petra Roth, described it as “a first small step.”

The German government has defined integration as “a long-term process intended to ensure that all lawful and permanent residents are included in German society.” Under this policy, all immigrants and people of immigrant origin should be obliged to learn German, and get familiar with the German constitution and laws.

Not every migrant group was convinced about the declared aims of the summit. Four major organisations representing Turkish immigrants boycotted the meeting, arguing that simultaneously a proposed new law aims to increase obstacles for Turkish and Muslim people seeking to enter the country.

The proposed law has been approved by the Bundesrat, the second chamber of parliament but must still be discussed at the Bundestag, the parliament’s first chamber.

The legislative authority of the Bundesrat is subordinate to that of the Bundestag, but it nonetheless plays a vital legislative role. The federal government must present all its legislative initiatives first to the Bundesrat; only thereafter can a proposal be passed to the Bundestag.

Further, the Bundesrat must approve all legislation affecting policy areas for which the German constitution grants the federal sates concurrent powers and for which they must administer federal regulations.

The legislation says people seeking immigration into Germany must have at least a basic knowledge of the German language, an independent income that can cover an early period of stay, and a realistic chance of getting a job.

The new law would make it more difficult to bring in relatives of people of immigrant origin. This measure aims to limit the chances of marrying women from countries of origin and bringing them into Germany, a practice widely favoured by Turkish male immigrants.

Kenan Kolat, president of Turkish Community, a group comprising four Turkish associations, says the new law is an obstacle to integration. Kolat had demanded ahead of the summit that the government withdraw the proposed law. The government refused, leading to the boycott.

But some Turkish groups have distanced themselves from Kolat. Necla Kelek, a social scientist of Turkish origin said the failure to bring integration does not just rest with state institutions, but with Turkish community customs dominated by strong male chauvinism.

“Every second Turkish mother in Germany has been imported from Turkey,” she told IPS. “That means that every second Turkish mother in Germany does not speak German, and cannot help her children at school.”

But at least half of Turkish men living in Germany still prefer to marry women from Turkey, Kelek said. “That means that for half of the Turkish men living in Germany, the Turkish women who have grown up along them in Germany are not good enough to marry.”