A Danish initiative that could change the future of asylum in Europe
Denmark took over the presidency of the Council of the European Union on July 1, prioritizing the reform of asylum policy. This step is seen as a pivotal opportunity to address the escalating asylum crisis in Europe, according to political correspondent Ulrich Reitz. The initiative is led by both Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, aiming for a radical reform of European asylum law. This initiative has expanded to include support from 21 European countries, having started with only nine, according to statements from German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
Rights indicates that the major obstacle lies in the broad and unrestricted interpretation of the European Convention on Human Rights by European courts, which hinders the ability of national states to implement their own asylum policies. He also warned that member states, such as Germany, have begun to adopt twisted methods like directly pushing back migrants from the borders, which puts the legitimacy of European policies at risk.
Rights believes that the absence of reform could lead to a decline in people's trust in the European project and push more support towards anti-European forces. He sees that returning some decision-making powers to member states is the only way to maintain the legitimacy of the Union. Rights also blamed the policies pursued by former Chancellor Angela Merkel in 2015, considering that they caused a European division on the migration issue and burdened partner countries without prior coordination.
In contrast, it is seen that Denmark, led by the Social Democratic Party, offers a model through which far-right extremism can be combated by adopting a rational immigration policy. In Germany, the debate revolves around banning the AfD party, which Reitz described as a "theoretical discussion" that does not address the essence of the problem.
The current situation is unsustainable, as only 20% of asylum seekers leave Europe after their applications are rejected. Therefore, Rights believes that the Frederiksen and Meloni initiative represents a necessary step to stop traffickers from exploiting the European asylum system. Rights concluded his analysis by emphasizing the importance of the Danish presidency of the Union, stating that it could represent a starting point for a comprehensive change in European asylum policy.