The Effectiveness of German Policies in Response to the European Refugee Crisis

Abstract

This paper will attempt to answer the question of whether Germany has been effectively handling the European refugee crisis. For the most part, the answer is yes, but it is a complicated question to address. There are various factors that contribute to the effectiveness of Germany's handling of the refugee crisis other than its asylum and refugee policies. Due to the fact that policies in other areas can directly affect asylum seekers and refugees, it is hard to be absolutely certain about the effectiveness of the policies, but a general idea of their effectiveness can be discerned. Germany's asylum and refugee policies tend to be generous in comparison to the policies of many countries within the European Union. While there is always room for improvement, Germany's policies offer numerous resources for refugees and asylum seekers, some of which I have witnessed personally while I was studying abroad in Erlangen, Germany. There are three main aspects of German policy that will be looked at. They are Germany's political, economic and social policies and their respective implementation. Politically, Germany has implemented mostly positive policies that tend to benefit refugees and asylum seekers. In regard to Germany's economic policies, it has provided refugees and asylum seekers adequate access to the labor market in order to be productive in German society. The social policies are where Germany is strongest. It has been providing refugees and asylum seekers with better accommodations than most countries are able to provide, language and integration courses, and social welfare benefits.