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.
Ukrainian drone attacks across Russia and Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine killed at least 10 people, Russian officials said, while Russian air de...
Iran on Saturday denounced U.S. plans to announce new sanctions that could put further strain on the Islamic Repub...
Taiwan President Lai Ching-te has called for continued military strength and national unity during a visit to the sensitive frontline island of Kin...
Russia is open to listening to new proposals on how to reach a settlement on the Ukraine conflict, a senior Russian diplomat said, but any proposals should reflect the "realities on the ground".
A large-scale drone attack has hit Russia's Samara region, damaging facilities and disrupting operations at an Ozon logistics complex, according to regional authorities and the company.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran was not ready to make what he called the "right deal" with Washington as tensions persisted over the war and the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran on Saturday denounced U.S. plans to announce new sanctions that could put further strain on the Islamic Republic's economy and have an impact on its most important trading partners including China.
Türkiye said on Thursday it would continue helping Syria strengthen its military, despite rising tensions with Israel over Ankara’s role in the country.
Ukrainian drone attacks across Russia and Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine killed at least 10 people, Russian officials said, while Russian air defences shot down six drones flying toward Moscow early Sunday.
Taiwan President Lai Ching-te has called for continued military strength and national unity during a visit to the sensitive frontline island of Kinmen, saying peace must be protected "through strength."
The European Union’s Civil Protection Mechanism sent helicopters and firefighters to help Serbia fight a massive wildfire in a nature reserve in the northeast of the country, the head of the European Union mission to Belgrade said.
TikTok and its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, have agreed to pay $400 million to settle U.S. government allegations that the popular video-sharing app failed to properly protect children’s privacy.
Poland has sharply criticised Israel’s handling of an investigation into the killing of Polish aid worker Damian Sobol, saying the decision to end proceedings has deepened concerns over accountability for the Israeli military’s conduct in Gaza.
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