Seehofer's "Master Plan": These are points of friction and open questions

With the debate on the master plan migration of Federal Minister Horst Seehofer (CSU), the Union asylum dispute has really started. Originally, the minister presented the plan at a major press conference on June 12.

After it became clear that Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) was not supporting a request for rejection of borders, this date was postponed. Meanwhile, Seehofer has submitted a version of the "Master Plan" to the CSU Executive Council, which is now circulating in PDF format. But there are still open questions on paper. Those who want to have their say on the cause of the asylum dispute should know the current state of affairs.

Here are the most important questions and answers to Seehofer's "Master Plan":

1. Why did Seehofer present the plan just now?

First, it may be because of dissent with Merkel that the official presentation has not yet taken place. This could have been considered an additional affront, the Federal Minister of the Interior had presented at a large-scale press conference a plan that is not supported by the Chancellor, at least on a crucial point: the discharges at the border. , Merkel rejects such rejections as national unilateralism. This is the heart of the asylum dispute between Seehofer and Merkel – at least in substance. This dispute is still not resolved and the official presentation of the "Master Plan" is still pending. If the current dispute is really the reason why even in the faction of the Union before Sunday, almost no one knew that the plan is currently unknown.

2. Are there several "master plans" or not?

There was some confusion Monday as to whether there could be more than one "blueprint". The reason: On the cover page of the plan presented Sunday, Horst Seehofer was named in his capacity as chairman of the CSU – and not as federal minister of the Interior. But he had actually ordered the "blueprint" as a minister and not as a party leader. The ministry's statements were partly interpreted as working in the Federal Ministry of the Interior on a second version. Later, however, was clarified by a spokeswoman: There is only one "master plan", but Seehofer presented to the CSU a sort of preliminary draft. The final version should still be published, the "master plan" was developed by the Federal Ministry of the Interior.

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. 3 The plan is now known. But now there are still allegations. What is it?

The stumbling block is that the front page of the draft: Why the Federal Ministry of the Interior is not mentioned as an authority working or Seehofer as Federal Minister of the Interior? Critics such as the parliamentary executive director of the Greens' parliamentary group, Britta Haßelmann, are now wondering if Seehofer has used funds from her department for the work of the CSU party. The question of whether Seehofer now uses the newspaper at the head of the CSU or as Minister of the Interior may seem like a crack for many. The essential, however, is whether or not there is a violation of the rules on party financing.

4. What points of the plan are controversial?

Over long periods, the document complies with the requirements of the coalition agreement on migration. For example, the targeted number of 180,000 to 200,000 immigrants appears each year, as well as commitments to more development cooperation to combat the causes of the leak.

The only really controversial claim is a subsection 27: The rejection of people at the external border seeking asylum, but have already sought asylum in another EU country or are registered as asylum seekers.

What are the other important demands?

The plan also provides for a number of tightening measures for asylum seekers and other applicants for protection, all of which should, however, be borne by the Union. It is conceivable that the SPD coalition partner is still criticizing the individual points. But the SPD is holding back up here. Officially, the newspaper is not even available to the social democrats.

Some key claims in the overview:

• more places for deportation
• Examine ways to speed up asylum procedures (including legal remedies for asylum seekers), [to the test]
• Additional funds for the Federal Ministry of the Interior by the millions, for example for police training in the countries of origin and of transit of migrants
• Establishment of anchor centers (arrival, decision, repatriation) Stay 18 months
• to examine more precisely when the reason for protection (eg because of political persecution) is over
• harsher penalties against migrants who do not follow the prescribed integration courses

6. When will the plan be officially released?

This is one of the open questions. A spokesman for the Federal Ministry of the Interior said Monday only, a publication by his house is still pending.

Video: After the escalation of the asylum dispute: Bundestag Chairman Schäuble sees the Union "at the edge"