Germany Suspends Family Reunification for Subsidiary Protection Refugees

The German Bundestag has passed a law suspending family reunification for refugees with subsidiary protection status for two years, affecting primarily around 380,000 people, many of whom are Syrians. This group, unlike fully recognized refugees, previously had a monthly quota of 1,000 relatives allowed to reunite, but the new law limits reunification to spouses, minor children, and parents of unaccompanied minors only in cases of hardship. The government, led by Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt, argues that the suspension will reduce asylum seeker numbers by approximately 12,000 annually and disrupt human trafficking networks. The legislation was supported by the governing coalition, including CDU, SPD, and AfD, while the Greens and Left Party opposed it, criticizing the measure as harsh and damaging to family unity and integration efforts. Opposition voices also warned that the law only addresses a small portion of migrants and fails to tackle the broader migration challenge. The decision comes amid political efforts to curb migration and respond to the rising popularity of the right-wing AfD party.