The Federal Ministry of the Interior has officially confirmed its planned stop to the funding of independent asylum procedure consulting services. In a response to an inquiry from the Green Party faction in the Bundestag, the Ministry stated that due to the tense situation within the federal budget, a strict “prioritization” must be implemented. According to the Ministry, a detailed review identified potential areas for savings, which include funds allocated for independent asylum guidance.
The Ministry explained that last year, 67,687 asylum seekers received advice from these independent consulting centers, a reliance that the government justifies based on the results of an evaluation.
However, the Greens criticized the Ministry for delaying the release of this evaluation report. While welfare organizations were informed back in March that federal funding would soon be cut based on the report’s findings, the Ministry stated that the report is “currently being finalized” and is “expected” only in the second quarter of 2026.
Filiz Polat, the Greens’ Parliamentary Manager, strongly objected to this lack of transparency. Speaking to the “Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland”, she argued that anyone making decisions about the future of this vital service must make the facts public. “Transparency is not a bonus, but a prerequisite for credible and evidence-based policy” Polat asserted.
The Green Party called for the funding to be secured during the current parliamentary budget process. Polat demanded that Vice Chancellor and Federal Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil take a definitive stance on the issue. The political group argued that those who advocate for a functioning, rule-of-law asylum system must also commit to the permanent funding of the necessary independent consultation, stating that mere political promises are no longer sufficient.
