Overview

• Thorsten Frei of the CDU announced that the future German government will establish regular deportation flights to Afghanistan and Syria, building on a successful test flight in 2024.
• The August 2024 deportation of 28 male offenders to Afghanistan, facilitated by Qatar, marked the first such operation since the Taliban's return to power in 2021.
• Approximately 200,000 individuals in Germany are currently under tolerated status despite being legally required to leave, highlighting the scale of the deportation challenge.
• The plan includes diplomatic measures to pressure origin countries into compliance with international obligations, potentially impacting visas, trade, and development cooperation.
• Operational hurdles persist, including the need for cooperation with regimes like the Taliban, complicating the implementation of regular deportation flights.