Suspected Attack by Afghan Asylum Seeker Prompts Calls for "Migration U-Turn" in Germany
A suspected attack by an Afghan asylum seeker in Munich has reignited calls from the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) party for a "migration U-turn" in Germany.
"Should this continue forever? Migration U-turn now!" tweeted AfD leader Alice Weidel, expressing sympathy for the victims of the attack.
According to police, the man drove his car past a police vehicle and into a demonstration by the Verdi trade union, injuring at least 28 people, some seriously. Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder described it as a suspected terrorist attack.
The young Afghan, identified only as a 24-year-old asylum seeker, was known to the police, according to Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann. He had a history of shoplifting and drug offenses.
The AfD has made reversing "mass immigration" a central plank of its campaign in the upcoming Bundestag elections. The party claims there is a significant "remigration" potential, particularly among people from Syria and Afghanistan, where hostilities have largely ceased.
AfD’s Migration Platform
On its website, the AfD outlines its migration platform, which includes the following key demands:
- Suspension of all asylum applications: Except for cases of political persecution
- End to family reunification: No new visas for family members of refugees
- Deportation of foreign criminals: With no exceptions
- Closing of all asylum shelters: And provision of humanitarian aid to refugees in their home countries
- Support for voluntary return: Financial incentives for refugees to return to their countries of origin
- Revision of the EU Dublin Regulation: To distribute asylum seekers more equitably across Europe
- Strengthening of external border controls: To prevent illegal immigration
Political Fallout
The suspected attack in Munich has fueled political debate about migration in Germany, with the AfD seeking to exploit the incident for electoral gain. Some critics, however, have accused the party of using fear-mongering tactics and scapegoating refugees.
Bavarian Interior Minister Herrmann called for a "decisive response" to the attack, while Chancellor Angela Merkel emphasized the importance of upholding the rule of law and protecting the safety of citizens.
The attack has cast a shadow over the upcoming Bundestag elections, with the issue of migration set to feature prominently in the campaign. The outcome of the vote will have a significant impact on Germany’s migration policies and the future of the country’s multicultural society.
