Germany: Migrant associations call for a new ministry

Changes in the electoral law, a new ministry, quota regulations in the public service: migrant organizations have presented a catalog of demands that should serve to combat structural and institutional racism - such as disadvantages of migrants in the education system, on the labor and housing market. About 40 organizations support the project.

"Racism has a terrifying continuity in Germany," said Marianne Ballé Moudoumbou, spokeswoman for the Pan African Women's Empowerment and Liberation Organization at the presentation of the "Anti-Racism Agenda 2025" in Berlin.

In their paper, the organizations are calling for a new ministry to be responsible for asylum and integration policy, as well as electoral rights for all people who have lived in Germany for at least five years - even if they do not have German citizenship. This currently affects 6.5 million people. "That is more than AfD voters in 2017 in the federal election," said the chairwoman of the Polish Social Council, Marta Neüff.

"Equal Citizens of the Country"
The associations also propose to found a council of experts to advise politics. They also call for quota regulations to be introduced for people with a migration background in the public service. According to the associations, a good quarter of the population in Germany has a migration background. The chairman of the DeutschPlus association, Farhad Dilmaghani, said: "We see ourselves as citizens of the country with equal rights."

Today, the cabinet committee to fight racism and right-wing extremism will meet with Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU). The federal government founded the committee after the right-wing extremist killings in Hanau.

Source: Der Spiegel