The German government has unveiled a new security package that includes knife bans and stricter asylum measures, following the fatal stabbing of three people at a street festival in Solingen.
The attack has reignited a heated debate over asylum laws after it was revealed that the main suspect, Issa Al H, is a 26-year-old Syrian refugee facing deportation.
Authorities are investigating Al H for murder and potential links to the militant group Islamic State (IS), which has claimed responsibility for the attack. The group also released a video purportedly showing the suspect in a mask shortly after the incident.
The government’s announcement comes just three days before critical elections in two eastern German states, Thuringia and Saxony, where the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) is gaining significant traction in the polls.
In Thuringia, the AfD is expected to lead, surpassing the conservative CDU, while in Saxony, the two parties are currently neck and neck. Although the AfD is unlikely to gain power due to a lack of coalition partners, the elections could mark a significant setback for the ruling coalition parties—Social Democrats, Greens, and Liberal FDP—who are polling below 10%.
In response to the attack, the government has introduced several far-reaching measures. These include a ban on carrying knives at most public events, such as markets and sports, as well as on public transport. A blanket ban on flick knives is also being imposed. Moreover, the government is tightening asylum laws, ensuring quicker and more efficient deportation of foreigners ordered to leave the country. Those convicted of knife crimes will face immediate deportation.
A task force aimed at preventing Islamism has been proposed, and biometric facial recognition technology will be implemented to help identify suspects. Interior Minister Nancy Faeser also announced that asylum seekers who had registered in another European Union country would lose their right to welfare benefits in Germany. Under the EU’s Dublin Regulation, asylum applications must be processed in the country of first entry, meaning Germany would no longer bear the responsibility for individuals who had already sought asylum elsewhere.
The suspect in the Solingen attack had applied for asylum in Germany after first entering the EU through Bulgaria. Although his application was denied, deportation efforts failed as officials were unable to locate him.
During a visit to Solingen, Chancellor Olaf Scholz assured the public that the government would intensify efforts to repatriate and deport those who “cannot and must not stay in Germany.” Earlier this year, the government had already announced plans to resume deportations to Afghanistan and Syria following a similar deadly attack in Mannheim.
Friedrich Merz, leader of the CDU, has called for a halt to accepting refugees from Afghanistan and Syria—a proposal Chancellor Scholz has rejected. All proposed measures will require parliamentary approval before they can be enforced.
Follow us on:
