Haltern am See – ESI talks with students about migration and the future of democracy

Haltern am See, Photo: flickr/Daniel Mennerich

ESI’s Gerald Knaus delivered a speech to students at an educational event in Haltern, Germany. The event was organized by the Cusanuswerk, a catholic scholarship and education organization, and was focused on the topics of migration and integration.

In his speech, titled “Krieg, Flucht, Grenzen - Migration und die Zukunft der Demokratie in Europa“, Gerald examined how the failure to legally manage migration in Europe has enabled the rise of the identitarian, illiberal far-right. He argued that to regain the confidence of the voting public while also protecting the dignity of migrants, democratic parties in Germany and across Europe must present a solution on migration management that is effective while also ethical and legal. He noted that we already know the outlines of such a solution, with the 2016 EU-Turkey deal both leading to a dramatic decrease in illegal migration and also deaths in the Mediterranean. Gerald advocated that such a deal first be tried between the EU and the UK, two partners with exemplary human rights records and high mutual trust.

At the event’s conclusion, Gerald discussed his proposals and thoughts with the assembled students in a lively discussion round.

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