Prime Minister, the municipalities are pointing out that they are struggling with a refugee crisis that even eclipses the onslaught of 2015.

This hardly finds an echo in the federal and state governments.

Why not?

Jasper von Altenbockum

Responsible editor for domestic politics.

  • Follow I follow

Julian Staib

Political correspondent for northern Germany and Scandinavia based in Hamburg.

  • Follow I follow

Matthias Wysuwa

Political correspondent for northern Germany and Scandinavia based in Hamburg.

  • Follow I follow

Yes, there is an echo.

We do indeed have enormous challenges in the municipalities.

We have taken in more refugees in Schleswig-Holstein than in 2015, so far more than 30,000 refugees from Ukraine alone.

We are at the limit of what municipalities can do.

However, we set up a fair financial burden sharing with the municipalities much earlier than the federal government.

We have increased the number of places in the country's shelters to 7,000 and are the only country that has pledged to municipalities to wait four weeks from admission before allocating people, so that the municipalities can better adapt.

Your social affairs minister from the Greens, Aminata Touré, has called for another refugee summit at federal level.

What should he do?

The demand was made when we were still expecting higher forecasts.

Since then, however, the number of people seeking protection arriving has fallen again.

In this respect, the current agreements are sufficient, but of course the situation remains volatile.

Seven years ago, the mood heated up.

Is that a threat now?

Do you have to campaign for understanding in the municipalities?

I don't see that as a big issue in public.

There is unwavering support for Ukraine.

The understanding is very great.

Of course, the municipalities ask for support and we also provide it.

Can you understand people who complain that we are taking in Ukrainian refugees, are also a magnet for asylum seekers from other countries, but should also take in 400,000 skilled workers a year if possible?

First of all, it should be noted that Germany is a country of immigration.

And I firmly believe that those seeking protection who come to our country with the right support and qualifications can help us a lot in combating the shortage of skilled workers and workers.

They can be exactly the specialists that we lack and that we urgently need.

In addition, we are in strong competition with other regions when it comes to recruiting foreign specialists.

However, we must also become more successful here.

After all, Germany is a very attractive country.

The Union faction has rejected plans by the traffic light coalition to allow skilled workers to enter the country who do not have an employment contract, but who can demonstrate language skills and professional experience.

Do you also reject that?

There is much that is right in the key points presented by the federal government.

I make no secret of the fact that I have a slightly more open stance on this and am promoting a more liberal line in my party.

In addition, I have long been calling for a “change of lanes” from the right to asylum to the right to settle, and I believe that we should make it easier for people who have been here for a long time to find their way into the job market.