Pune (Maharashtra) [India], January 11 : German Ambassador to India and Bhutan, Philipp Ackermann, on Friday offered his views on the potential for US President-elect Donald Trump to secure a third term in the White House by revoking the 22nd amendment, stating that the chances to do so were "very little."
While addressing a gathering at the Pune Public Policy Festival on the topic of "Trump's World: How the Rest will Deal with Political Change in the United States," Ackermann said, "There is not an overwhelming majority. The House is very close and the Senate is also very close. In two years' time, there will be midterm elections and history shows that the midterm election will swing the pendulum in the other way and you do not have both the houses under Republican leadership. It is my forecast. I think the chances of revoking the 22nd amendment are very little."
On the matter of migration, the German envoy said that it was a key issue in Germany's internal politics and noted that 30 per cent of the German population has at least one non-German parent, and 20 per cent have two non-German parents, reflecting the country's transformation into a major immigration destination over the past 20-25 years.
He emphasised that Germany has liberal immigration policies, allowing individuals with the right qualifications to enter the country and search for employment without needing a job contract. Ackermann mentioned that many Indians have taken advantage of this opportunity, contributing to the growth of the Indian community in Germany.
"I would say that the core of Germany's internal politics is migration. You have to imagine that 30 per cent of the German population has one non-German parent and in 20 per cent of the German population, there are two non-German parents. Basically, our country has turned in the last 20-25 years into a complete immigration country; therefore, saying that closing the door is absurd because we are living off migration and from migration," he said.
"We would have the most liberal immigration laws in the Western world. When you want to move to Germany and if you have the right qualifications, you do not need a contract. You can come to Germany and look for a job. There are many Indians who are taking this opportunity to say that the Indian community is growing," he added.
However, he also acknowledged the challenges related to refugee and asylum-seeking illegal immigration, particularly during the influx of Syrians in 2015-16 and Ukrainians in 2022-24.
"But there is another part. What people felt overwhelmed with was the refugee asylum-seeking illegal immigration they have experienced in the last 10 years. In 2015-16, we had millions of Syrians coming to Germany and in 2022-24 we had millions of Ukrainians coming to Germany," the German envoy said.
"What we are trying to achieve is to reduce illegal migration and promote legal migration," he added.
Ackermann concluded by stating that while Germany's asylum laws, which offer protection to persecuted individuals, should be maintained, there is an ongoing effort to manage migration effectively and ensure that legal migration remains a priority.