Germany has suspended admissions of refugees via a UN resettlement programme, the interior ministry said on Tuesday, as a new coalition government that is expected to tighten immigration rules prepares to take office.
Migration has been a contentious issue in coalition negotiations between Friedrich Merz's conservative CDU/CSU bloc and the centre-left Social Democrats, which are expected to conclude within weeks.
The conservatives are advocating a stricter approach to asylum seekers in response to rising support for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party and several violent incidents involving refugees.
The two sides have struck a preliminary agreement to end voluntary federal admission programmes for refugees such as the U.N. programme - the only one currently active - and not to launch any new ones, according to a document seen by Reuters.
Germany has participated since 2016 in a European Union resettlement scheme that accepts refugees selected by the U.N. refugee agency, UNHCR. Most come from Turkey, Egypt, Jordan or Kenya, or from Libya via Rwanda.
The ministry said 4,711 people had arrived in Germany through the programme since 2024, out of the 13,000 refugees that Germany has promised the European Commission it will take in for 2024 and 2025 combined.
Despite the suspension, admissions that are already well advanced, with concrete commitments, will go ahead, a ministry spokesperson said.
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France, Germany and Britain have warned they are prepared to reinstate United Nations sanctions on Iran if it does not return to negotiations over its nuclear programme, according to a letter sent to the U.N. on Tuesday.
Russian authorities are moving to limit certain calling functions on Telegram and WhatsApp, the messaging service owned by Meta Platforms, the Interfax news agency reported on Wednesday, citing communications regulator Roskomnadzor.
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Polish President Karol Nawrocki took part in a teleconference on Ukraine with U.S. President Donald Trump and European leaders on Wednesday, his office announced, replacing Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who had initially been expected to attend.
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday that U.S. President Donald Trump has stressed Ukraine must have a seat at the table in any negotiations over territory as part of a ceasefire deal with Russia.
France, Germany and Britain have warned they are prepared to reinstate United Nations sanctions on Iran if it does not return to negotiations over its nuclear programme, according to a letter sent to the U.N. on Tuesday.
Russian authorities are moving to limit certain calling functions on Telegram and WhatsApp, the messaging service owned by Meta Platforms, the Interfax news agency reported on Wednesday, citing communications regulator Roskomnadzor.
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