Tübingen’s Mayor Boris Palmer is known for controversial statements. Now the Green jumps to the side of the CDU leader Friedrich Merz in the debate about Ukrainian refugees. “It is incomprehensible that people come to Germany just because of increased performance incentives,” says Palmer.
Tübingen Mayor Boris Palmer sees problems in taking in Ukrainian refugees. “It is incomprehensible why there should be first and second class refugees and why we provide so many services that people only change their previous country of refuge and come to Germany because of these increased performance incentives,” said Palmer in the podcast “Die Wochentester” of the ” Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger” and the “Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland”. There’s a problem, he said.
A few days ago, CDU leader Friedrich Merz caused a stir because he accused Ukrainian refugees of social tourism. A short time later, Merz apologized for it. The background to the debate is that Ukraine refugees – unlike other refugees – have direct access to the Hartz IV system. According to the federal government, it has no indications of misuse of services by Ukrainian refugees, and the necessary data is not recorded centrally.
Palmer said that Merz should “not be intimidated.” However, the CDU leader “did not help the matter with the term, because now the rebels have the upper hand again.”
Palmer has repeatedly caused a stir in the past with controversial statements. After allegations of racism, the politician will suspend his membership in the Greens until the end of 2023.
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