German govt agrees on refugee family reunification rules following long dispute

The members of the German ruling coalition, including Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU), their conservative Bavarian allies, and the Social Democrats, have finally reached a consensus on the issue of refugee family reunification. It follows heavy disputes on the issue. The new rules allow up to 1,000 close relatives of people with ‘subsidiary status,’ which is a lesser degree of protection than the full refugee status, to move to Germany each month on humanitarian grounds. The list of close relatives includes spouses, minors, and the parents of minors. Interior Minister Horst Seehofer, a Bavarian conservative, praised the draft legislation as a “responsible balance” between humanitarian imperatives and Germany’s ability to manage migration.