Arrival of Afghan Migrants in Germany Sparks Misinformation Post-Election
A charter flight with 155 Afghans arrives in Berlin amidst false claims of policy changes following recent parliamentary elections.
A charter flight carrying 155 Afghan nationals landed in Berlin on October 17, 2023, shortly after the recent German parliamentary elections.
According to the Federal Ministry of the Interior, over half of the individuals on board were admitted under a federal program aimed at particularly vulnerable individuals, many of whom have faced threats due to their identity or affiliations.
The arrival of these Afghans has prompted a surge of misinformation on social media, where users erroneously claimed that the new German government had reversed former immigration policies and allowed the entry of these individuals following the elections.
Some posts suggested a coordinated effort to portray the arrivals as an invasion, with one post reportedly achieving over 20 million views.
Despite these claims, Germany is still under the leadership of outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz, as coalition negotiations to form a new government are ongoing after the conservative CDU/CSU bloc, led by Friedrich Merz, won the election.
The arrival of the Afghan nationals was pre-arranged and falls under the Federal admission program for Afghanistan, initiated by the outgoing government in response to the Taliban's takeover in August 2021. This program is designed to assist vulnerable populations, including Afghan local forces and human rights advocates.
Germany has pledged to allow approximately 45,000 at-risk Afghans and their families to resettle, with over 33,200 having arrived by April 2024. The application process for admission requires Afghan citizens to first travel to Islamabad due to the inoperability of the German embassy in Kabul, where they must complete extensive security clearances and obtain visas.
Prior to the recent elections, two flights from Islamabad were canceled, further complicating the immigration process.
The German Foreign Office has expressed concern over the safety of Afghan nationals residing in Pakistan amidst fears of deportations that may lead them back to Taliban-controlled regions.
During the electoral campaign, immigration and deportation were critical issues, with public discourse increasingly dominated by concerns over violence linked to Afghan nationals, leading to heightened calls for stricter deportation policies.
According to the Federal Ministry of the Interior, over half of the individuals on board were admitted under a federal program aimed at particularly vulnerable individuals, many of whom have faced threats due to their identity or affiliations.
The arrival of these Afghans has prompted a surge of misinformation on social media, where users erroneously claimed that the new German government had reversed former immigration policies and allowed the entry of these individuals following the elections.
Some posts suggested a coordinated effort to portray the arrivals as an invasion, with one post reportedly achieving over 20 million views.
Despite these claims, Germany is still under the leadership of outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz, as coalition negotiations to form a new government are ongoing after the conservative CDU/CSU bloc, led by Friedrich Merz, won the election.
The arrival of the Afghan nationals was pre-arranged and falls under the Federal admission program for Afghanistan, initiated by the outgoing government in response to the Taliban's takeover in August 2021. This program is designed to assist vulnerable populations, including Afghan local forces and human rights advocates.
Germany has pledged to allow approximately 45,000 at-risk Afghans and their families to resettle, with over 33,200 having arrived by April 2024. The application process for admission requires Afghan citizens to first travel to Islamabad due to the inoperability of the German embassy in Kabul, where they must complete extensive security clearances and obtain visas.
Prior to the recent elections, two flights from Islamabad were canceled, further complicating the immigration process.
The German Foreign Office has expressed concern over the safety of Afghan nationals residing in Pakistan amidst fears of deportations that may lead them back to Taliban-controlled regions.
During the electoral campaign, immigration and deportation were critical issues, with public discourse increasingly dominated by concerns over violence linked to Afghan nationals, leading to heightened calls for stricter deportation policies.
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