E Európa

Germany temporarily suspends refugee resettlement under UN program

apríl 8, 2025

Inhabitants enter a refugee accommodation und the eyes of police in Solingen, western Germany, on late August 24, 2024 during a police operation linked to a knife attack on a city festival on late August 23, 2024 in Solingen where three people were killed and several injured. The unidentified knifeman went on a rampage in the western town of Solingen late on August 23, 2024, as thousands had gathered for the first night of a “Festival of Diversity”, part of a series of events to mark the town’s 650th anniversary. (Photo by INA FASSBENDER / AFP)

This move comes amid ongoing coalition negotiations between the CDU, CSU, and SPD. The Ministry of the Interior and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) confirmed that no new refugee acceptance commitments would be made during this period.

According to dpa, exceptions will be made for cases where procedures have already significantly progressed.

In a previous coalition agreement, the CDU/CSU and SPD had decided to end voluntary federal refugee acceptance programs as much as possible and not initiate new ones. As part of their commitment to the Refugee Agency and the European Commission, which funds refugee acceptance, Germany promised to provide 13,100 resettlement places for the years 2024 and 2025. UNHCR reports that 5,061 refugees have already arrived, including Syrian refugees from Turkey as part of a 2016 EU-Turkey agreement.

During the resettlement process, UNHCR identifies individuals particularly in need of protection and recommends them to host countries. German officials conduct interviews and security checks on-site. Germany also runs additional humanitarian refugee acceptance programs.