International Migrants’ Day – For equality, participation and co-determination

The climate is harsh and the prospects for migrants are bleak. Particularly now, their participation and co-determination is essential.

Berlin, March 18.12.2023th, XNUMX.

On International Migrants Day, it is more necessary than ever to point out that migrants are an essential part of our democracy. Visibility and real political participation are at stake. Right-wing populist, racist and anti-migrant positions in parliament are stronger than ever. 

Today is Migrants' Day. It was launched by the United Nations in 2000 to draw attention to the situation of people with a migration history. According to statistics from the Federal Agency for Civic Education from 2022, more than one in four people in Germany has an immigration background. This corresponds to a share of 28,7 percent of the total population. 

The needs of these 28,7 percent, or almost 24 million people, can no longer be ignored at local, state and federal levels. Because their political participation is of fundamental importance so that they can take part in social life and thus have a significant influence on their own living conditions.

But the results are shocking. Political representation in Germany does not adequately reflect this: only around 11 percent of all members of the Bundestag have a migration background. The proportion of women in all members of the Bundestag is 34,7 percent - but it is unclear how many of them have a migration background.

The fact that over 8 million migrants without German citizenship are not allowed to vote reinforces the feeling of a lack of political effectiveness. This underrepresentation in the Bundestag and the exclusion from elections lead to a loss of trust, a feeling of lack of opportunity and a low level of identification with democratic institutions among people with a migration background. Participation and co-determination are essential, especially in today's times when the climate has become harsher.

This creates the much-vaunted social cohesion and at the same time contributes to the active dismantling of racist structures. Migrant self-organizations, migrant interest groups and networks play an important role at the local and state level: They bring people with a migration background together, pool forces and make them heard. Cutting funding for their projects is fatal.

“Over 50% of people with a migration history have German citizenship, but this does not protect them from structural racism in political participation. Only the active confrontation with racism can be an opportunity for the entire society and for an active democracy. This requires cultural change and the implementation of measures to promote equality, diversity and equality. Participation and equal opportunities, equal rights and the fight against all forms of racism are part of a liberal democracy. In a plural society, participation, equal opportunities and equality must be recognized, valued, developed and protected at the same time,” emphasizes Soraya Moket, deputy managing director of DaMigra.

State elections are coming up next year in Saxony, Thuringia and Brandenburg. These are the federal states in which, according to surveys, the AfD has the highest poll numbers (around 30%) - so active and passive political participation and cohesion among migrants is more urgent than ever.

DaMigra eV represents the interests of women migrant organizations and their concerns and advocates equal opportunities, equal participation and the equality of women with a history of migration and refugee experience in Germany. DaMigra follows the approach of anti-racist feminism.