Angela Merkel console a refugee, his clumsiness unworthy web

Angela Merkel console a refugee, his clumsiness unworthy web

  The picture of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, already tarnished in the negotiations with Greece just accused another blow. Last Thursday, during a televised debate organized with high school students on the theme "Living well in Germany," his vis-a-vis a refugee 14 years in tears, facing deportation, has sparked debate.

  The video shows the reaction of Angela Merkel has traveled the world in a few hours, and came to relaunch the debate on immigration in Germany.

  It is in these terms that Angela Merkel turned to Reem Sahwil, young Palestinian living in Germany for four years, who had told him of his anguish of having to return to a refugee camp in Lebanon because his parents s 'were denied asylum.

  The background girl in tears while under the wary gaze of Chancellor who comes to try to console her, stroking her shoulder.

  The gesture and the word of the "new Iron Lady" sparked a wave of indignation in the world. Many local and international media saw it as a new expression of cold and insensitive nature of the ruling, thinking to soothe the young refugee of a pat on the shoulder.

  The hashtag #merkelstreichelt (Merkel-pat) invaded twittosphere and served in many Internet défouloir indignant at the attitude "inhuman" of the Chancellor.

Photomontages emphasizing the casual behavior of the ruling also circulated.

  The conviction is however not unanimous. Other media like Internet and "honesty" of Merkel, who did not claim to provide quick fixes to the problems of the girl. The center-left German daily "Sueddeutsche Zeitung" goes to ask Merkel "did she showed no heart or just honest?"

  The ruling held in any case to justify its behavior she described as "correct" and "honest" during an interview on ARD public television. Angela Merkel said that Germany is a "rule of law" and that it would not be right to say "since you met the Chancellor, your history will resolve more quickly than many, many others."

  Despite the asylum which was refused to her parents, it is very unlikely that the young Reem sees repatriated to Lebanon. Indeed, the Upper House of Parliament voted earlier this year a comprehensive reform of immigration laws and applicable from August.

  If the new legislation, widely criticized by the left parties, speeds up the deportation process for those who have little chance of being granted permanent status, it nevertheless allows young foreigners who have studied at least four years in Germany and whose integration "seems to guarantee" to get a residence permit. This is precisely the case of the teenager, who spoke in perfect German during his speech. 30,000 young people could benefit from this new system according to the government welcomes this new measure.

  Germany is confronted with its aging population and low birth rate. By 2060, the workforce will represent only half of the population against 60% today according to Destatis Institute. Immigration is therefore an option to fight against the economic challenges ahead. But for the moment is the time to selective immigration for Germany, in 2014 became the second country of destination for migrants after the United States.