On Tuesday morning, German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser delivered a stark warning about the rise in crime rates in the country. The report she presented revealed that there were 5.941 million offenses committed in 2023, an increase of 5.5% compared to the previous year and a 9.3% increase compared to the year before the Covid-19 pandemic. The number of foreign defendants rose by 17.8% to approximately 923,000, while the number of German defendants increased by just 1%.
Faeser emphasized her zero-tolerance policy towards violence and called for stricter measures against foreign criminals. She highlighted the importance of decisive police intervention, speedy legal procedures, and harsher penalties for convicted offenders. Faeser also stressed the significance of expedited deportation of foreigners convicted of crimes in Germany. Additionally, she underscored the importance of preventive measures to address the root causes of criminal behavior.
Head of the German judicial police, Holger Münch, refuted claims that individuals from other countries are inherently more prone to criminal activity. He emphasized that improved integration efforts are necessary to reduce crime rates. The overall increase in crime was attributed partly to the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions in 2023 and a return to normalcy in public life. The rise in delinquent behavior among youth was also linked to this normalization and described as a catch-up effect.
In response to increased migratory pressure, Germany suspended its voluntary acceptance program for asylum seekers from Italy in order to better manage irregular migration flows. The government also implemented stricter asylum policies to address challenges related to migration within the country.
These measures were part of broader efforts aimed at enhancing security and controlling immigration processes within Germany.
Faeser’s sobering statistics were likely seized upon by far-right party AfD as a platform for their political agenda.
Overall, Faeser’s message was clear: addressing crime rates requires a multi-faceted approach that includes harsher penalties for convicted offenders, improved integration efforts, and stricter immigration policies.
