For the Individual Right to Asylum: Keynote on Migration, Displacement, and Human Rights

In her keynote at the EKD Synod on November 12th, 2024, in Würzburg, Prof. Dr. Petra Bendel highlighted – with reference to international law, EU law, and the German Constitution – the need for safeguarding the individual right to asylum, both at the EU level and within Germany. She issued a warning against the erosion of existing protection standards. In this context, Petra Bendel identified three “red lines” in the reform of the Common European Asylum System, the implementation of which would breach existing EU law: the potential threat to children’s rights, the lack of fair procedural guarantees in border procedures, and the possible abolition of the fundamental refugee principle of non-refoulement to countries where torture, inhumane treatment, or severe human rights violations are imminent.

In light of the German debate surrounding the potential abolition of the individual right to asylum, Petra Bendel reminded her audience that this fundamental right is deeply rooted in German history. Rather than relying solely on quota solutions as a substitute for territorial asylum, the focus should be on creating legal pathways for those seeking protection. Additionally, she called for stronger support for first reception countries, fair asylum procedures, and a thorough support for municipalities to promote social inclusion and to uphold a human rights-based politics. She urged political and civil society engagement to defend these essential rights and values.

The full keynote is available at: Petra Bendel’s Keynote at the EKD Synod 2024 (in German).