'Faster deportation' of asylum exploiters

According to Hermann, who belongs to the Bavarian sister party of Germany's govening CDU, a consistent asylum and refugee policy means "providing help to the genuine refugees, but also telling those who abuse the system that they cannot stay permanently."

When a decision has been made, it should be implemented: "That means, if someone is recognized as a refugee, then integration must continue to improve," Herrmann told the Munich-based broadcaster "Bayerischer Rundfunk" on Friday. According to Hermann, this includes "good schooling and vocational training so that refugees can be well be integrated into the labor market."

Deport exploiters

At the same time, Herrmann also called for faster deportation for those abusing the right to asylum. If the Federal Office denies an asylum application, "then the logical conclusion is that that person must quickly leave our country again. We must enforce this consistently; otherwise the whole process would become a farce."

In this sense deportation is not "xenophobic, but the result of a constitutional process" the CSU politician said.

Hermann also said that there is still a concern that "[Germany's] acceptance would dwindle if those who are not recognized [as refugees], can still live here with us."

Faster application

Also on Friday, the German newspaper "Süddeutsche Zeitung" quoted a draft proposal by CSU which called for a quicker application process for asylum seekers in Germany, adding that on average the asylum process "was significantly longer" than in neighboring countries such as Switzerland.

According to the document, this would not only promote the acceptance of asylum decisions, but also contribute to a "significantly better cooperation" of asylum seekers.

Currently, the asylum procedure in Germany takes an average of eight months. However, according to the report, the CSU would aim to complete simple cases in just six weeks. Such cases include, for example, where the asylum seeker is from a so-called safe county of origin or when they have already been registered in another EU country prior to their application in Germany.

'Anxieties and fears'

In the document, titled "For a clear and balanced asylum policy," it was noted that Germans currently respond "with a lot of understanding, empathy and with remarkable voluntary commitment" to the increasing number of asylum seekers. It also warned, however, that this willingness to help should "not be put at risk," adding that there are "anxieties and fears" among the population which need to be taken seriously.

Echoing Hermann's sentiments, which were broadcast on Friday, the document also said that there need to be a "clearer" differentiation between vulnerable refugees and those who took advantage of the right of asylum "for purely economic reasons."

More than 200,000 applications for asylum were submitted for approval in Germany last year, making it the country with the largest number of asylum appeals in the world.

ksb/es (eps, dpa)