Germany’s Interior Ministry has suspended funding for integration courses for most refugees and migrants, requiring them to pay roughly €1,600 out of pocket unless mandated by a government agency. The ministry, led by Alexander Dobrindt, justifies the cuts as a response to reduced migration figures and a strategy to prioritize resources only for those with a permanent prospect of staying. Natalia Pawlik, lawmaker within the governing coalition, contend that restricting access contradicts Germany’s long‑standing integration strategy and will ultimately increase dependency on social benefits and slow economic participation.
Date: February 21, 2026. Source: dw.com