Ministry applauds NRW for tracking citizens with multiple nationalities
German States Debate Recording of Multiple Citizenships in Criminal Statistics
A significant debate has arisen among German states regarding the recording of multiple citizenships in the federal police criminal statistics (PKS). The issue, which aims to increase transparency and improve assessments of flight risk, has been initiated by North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and is being met with varying responses from other states.
NRW Interior Minister Herbert Reul announced that, effective July 1st, dual nationalities will be recorded retroactively in the criminal statistics. This move is intended to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the demographic makeup of suspects and victims. The Federal Ministry of the Interior has supported this proposal, finding it understandable and sensible. However, nationwide implementation requires consensus among all states and the federal government.
Other states, such as Lower Saxony and Hesse, have shown support for NRW's initiative. Lower Saxony's Interior Minister Daniela Behrens (SPD) and Hesse's Interior Minister Roman Poseck (CDU) have voiced their support, suggesting discussions on changes should be had among the federal states and with the federal government.
However, not all states are in agreement. Bavaria is considering following NRW's lead, but political groups like the Greens in NRW have strongly criticised the measure. The Greens' interior policy spokeswoman, Julia Höller, believes this approach yields no insights for police work and plays into the hands of the racially-minded AfD.
The Police Union in NRW has also criticised the new measure, expressing concerns about its practical implications. NRW's Interior Minister Reul has faced criticism from his coalition partner, the Greens, among others, for his initiative.
Schleswig-Holstein's Interior Minister Sabine Sütterlin-Waack (CDU) is open to a fundamental debate on changes to the PKS recording methods. The first results from North Rhine-Westphalia's approach to recording multiple citizenships will be closely examined by the Bavarian Ministry of the Interior, with the potential for other states to follow suit.
It is important to note that, currently, only the German citizenship is recorded for persons with German and another citizenship in the nationwide statistics. This means that NRW is currently the only federal state that collects multiple nationalities for the criminal statistics.
The decisions on the uniform PKS recording are made in the PKS commission, which is subordinate to the working group on criminal police of the interior ministers' conference of the federal and state governments. The debate on this issue is ongoing, with political discussions taking place within state parliaments.
Multiple citizenships could serve as indicators of potential flight risk and escape possibilities in relation to detention grounds. Recording multiple citizenships could provide valuable insights for law enforcement agencies, aiding in the assessment of flight risk and improving the effectiveness of investigations.
However, concerns have been raised about the practical implications of this measure, as well as its potential impact on privacy and discrimination. The debate continues, with the hope that a consensus can be reached to improve the efficiency and transparency of the criminal justice system.
