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According to the social minister for Bavaria — the southern German region where the vast majority of Syrian refugees arrive — Germany has taken in 1 million asylum-seekers in 2015. While some question how exact this number is, very few doubted the country would reach the millionth mark.
The remarkable statistics show how Germany is now front row in Europe’s most serious refugee crisis since World War II. The country’s total for 2015 alone sees a substantial amount of refugees more than the United States has resettled in 10 years.
Additionally, Stephen Dunnwald of human rights group Bavarian Refugee Council says Germany has done better than any of the 27 EU states at coping with the staggering amount of people. Dunnwald also points out a discrepancy in how German bureaucracy treats those who are likely to be granted asylum — such as Syrians — and those who aren’t, like migrants from the Balkans.
“This divide defines everything,” he said, speaking to GlobalPost. Despite this, not many can pick on Europe’s economic powerhouse — home to 80 million people — after it took on such a tough challenge.
It was partially Chancellor Angela Merkel’s efforts to keep Germany open that made Time magazine name her 2015 Person of the Year on Wednesday, calling her “chancellor of the free world.”
“By viewing refugees as victims to be rescued rather than invaders to be repelled, the woman raised behind the Iron Curtain gambled on freedom,” wrote Time.
Chancellor Merkel’s efforts have not been without criticism, however, with her own political allies — and even some ministers — slamming her for how she has handled the refugee crisis, demanding a limit to the number of asylum-seekers Germany takes. Yet, she remained strong, consistently saying, “We can do this,” amidst the criticisms against her.
Read Also: Refugees News 2015: Greek Coast Guard ‘Destroys Boat Full Of Refugees’
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