(de-news.net) – The Hessian Minister-President, Boris Rhein, advocates for a nationwide “integration obligation” modeled after Hesse’s approach. He emphasized that individuals wishing to reside permanently in Germany must speak the language fluently enough to participate in societal life. Additionally, newcomers must acknowledge and respect values important to Germany, such as combating antisemitism and affirming Israel’s right to exist. Rhein asserted that those advocating for a caliphate cannot remain in Germany, stressing that integration is primarily the responsibility of immigrants, not the state or its citizens.

The Hessian coalition agreement announced plans to revise the integration law, incorporating specific obligations, not only including proficiency in the German language but also adequate knowledge of the legal and social order, as well as German history. When asked if he, like Bavarian Minister-President Markus Söder, opposed a coalition with the Greens at the federal level after the Bundestag elections, Rhein stated that the achievements of the Christian-Social coalition’s first year would not have been possible with the Greens. He criticized the Greens for their lack of realpolitik and their credibility crisis due to a double standards affair in Berlin and a party donation scandal in Hesse. Prior to the coalition with the SPD, which has been in place for over a year, the CDU governed Hesse with the Greens for a decade. Söder had previously ruled out a coalition with the Greens after the Bundestag elections.