The traffic light coalition is fighting for a majority for the “security package” in the Bundestag. Now there is also resistance from the Green Party base.
Numerous rank-and-file members of the Greens spoke out in an open letter in favor of stopping the so-called security package of the traffic light government in the Bundestag. “We call on you: Vote against the so-called security package!” says the letter addressed to the Green Party members of the Bundestag.
The open letter went online at 12 p.m. on Wednesday and was signed by more than 245 Green Party members three hours later. Among them are Jakob Blasel and Jette Nietzard, who want to become the new leaders of the Green Youth this weekend.
“The so-called security package includes measures that violate fundamental and human rights. We must prevent this together,” the letter says. “We should not support laws that end up creating more chaos and suffering under the pretext of security.” The initiators emphasize that a rejection should not lead to the end of the coalition, but should create space for a new debate.
In the parliamentary group meetings of the Greens and the SPD on Tuesday there was clear criticism of the legislative package from MPs. With this, the federal government wants to tighten gun laws and asylum laws and expand the powers of the security authorities.
According to some MPs, Chancellor Olaf Scholz had indirectly threatened the SPD with a vote of confidence after clear criticism had been expressed, as t-online reported. “The law needs its own majority, otherwise I have to make use of my options,” he said, according to participants. In the case of the Greens, the parliamentary group leadership announced that more than 40 MPs did not want to agree to the package in the Bundestag or at least had not yet decided.
In particular, the tightening of asylum law and the additional powers for the security authorities have met with criticism from the SPD and the Greens in the Bundestag. They are now also the focus of the open letter from the Green Party base.
“We firmly reject any further tightening of asylum laws – it is unbearable that we are forced to demand this again!” the letter states, among other things. The signatories particularly criticize the planned exclusion of the Dublin cases from social benefits, provided that it is “legally and actually” possible for them to be accepted by the EU country actually responsible.
The letter says: “If you agree to this, you are putting people on the streets who are often unable to participate in their own departure because they don’t have the money to leave the country or the transfer is organized by the state.” The so-called security package also “breaks the Geneva Refugee Convention several times.”
The rank-and-file members also reject the additional powers for the security authorities. “We also do not support the transformation of Germany into a surveillance state!” says the letter. The Federal Criminal Police Office will have the opportunity to combine and use police databases in a mega-database. Facial recognition and photo searches would be permitted if particularly serious crimes are suspected.
“We also want people in Germany to feel safe because they are safe,” write the initiators. “But we cannot create security by abolishing human rights and strengthening surveillance!”
The so-called security package was discussed in the Interior Committee on Wednesday morning. On Friday morning, the traffic light factions in the Bundestag want to discuss the package and then decide on it.