"Chancellor Friedrich Merz has opened negotiations with the Taliban in exchange for Afghanistan agreeing to repatriate immigrants from that country who have been convicted of serious crimes in Germany. Is this dialogue with one of the world's least desirable governments an exercise in political pragmatism? Or is it a disregard for the victims, mainly women, of a regime against which Germany and its allies fought for two decades?"
"The Christian Democrat Merz, who leads a coalition government with the Social Democrats, has been trying to expedite the deportation of Afghan migrants since coming to power six months ago. To do so, he needs the cooperation of the Taliban, who captured Kabul in 2021 as international forces rushed to withdraw. The agreement between Berlin and Kabul, which could be finalized in the coming weeks, would allow Merz to showcase the effectiveness of his policy for deporting undocumented foreign criminals."
Chancellor Friedrich Merz has sought direct negotiations with the Taliban to secure the repatriation of Afghan migrants convicted of serious crimes in Germany. The move aims to accelerate deportations and demonstrate policy effectiveness amid domestic political pressure from the rising far-right Alternative for Germany. Previous expulsions were mediated by Qatar, but Berlin now seeks direct arrangements with Kabul. The Taliban gains international legitimacy from dialogue with a major EU country. The negotiations raise ethical concerns about the treatment of victims of the Taliban and whether ending diplomatic isolation of the regime is inevitable.
Read at english.elpais.com
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