Factbox-Ahead of federal election: German parties' plans for asylum system reform

Violent attacks linked to foreign suspects in Germany, including a deadly stabbing on Wednesday when the attacker targeted pre-school children, have prompted political parties to demand stricter measures on migration.

Here is what the four top-polling parties propose ahead of the Feb. 23 national election:

CDU/CSU

The conservative Christian Democrats (CDU) and their Bavarian ally, the CSU, urge a stricter migration stance that would depart from Angela Merkel's 2015 open-door policy.

CDU leader Friedrich Merz, the current favourite for chancellor, on Thursday demanded an overhaul of migration policy. In what would be a break from common EU rules, he said he would order permanent border controls on day one of his chancellorship and increase detentions of "illegal immigrants".

The CDU's election programme also proposes suspending family reunification for those with subsidiary protection, outsourcing asylum processes to non-EU countries and resuming deportations to Syria and Afghanistan.

SPD

In its manifesto, the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) of Chancellor Olaf Scholz say migration could ease the pressure of a declining workforce in an ageing society.

The party rejects border closures and pushing back incoming refugees, saying temporary controls should be "the absolute exception".

However, Scholz sharpened his tone following the most recent attack, saying he was "sick and tired" of such acts of violence and calling for swift consequences.

In its manifesto, the party supports voluntary deportations of rejected asylum seekers, and quick and consistent deportation for criminal asylum applicants.

It promises family reunification for those with subsidiary protection will continue, saying it is crucial to successful integration.

The SPD says the Common European Asylum System (CEAS), due to come into force in 2026, is a way to ensure refugees are treated fairly regardless of the country of application.

AfD

The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), with its anti-immigrant and anti-Islam platform, calls for Germany's withdrawal from the United Nations Migration and Refugee Pacts, reforming the Geneva Refugee Convention to allow asylum seekers to be stopped at the border.

It calls for "detention centres" to be established near the border and at airports, expanding the list of safe countries of origin, and reducing benefits for rejected asylum seekers to the "humane minimum subsistence level", as well replacing cash benefits for approved refugees with allowances in kind.

In addition, the party wants the immediate deportation of everyone it deems serious criminals and extremists, something it calls "remigration".

The party supports allowing the immigration of qualified professionals in fields where Germany faces shortages, but wants it to be subject to strict criteria.

Greens

The Greens, a traditionally pro-migration party, supports a welcoming policy towards both asylum-seekers and skilled migrants and demands effective integration practices as well as a reduction in bureaucracy in migration proceedings.

But those who do not obtain the right to stay in Germany must leave the country in a short time and convicted criminals must be repatriated after serving their sentence, according to the party programme.

They are also committed to common EU migration policy, support sea rescue programmes and reject permanent controls at Germany's national borders by saying that such checks should be carried out on the EU's external borders.