Germany's symbolic policies on integration

The German government wants to employ more people with foreign backgrounds in the public sector, according to a new "national action plan" presented by Chancellor Angela Merkel on Tuesday. The left-leaning daily taz sees this as symbolic politics lacking in substance: "For the German government integration is basically limited to making it easier for immigrants and their children to learn the German language. ... But within the education system and on the job market the situation for migrants has barely improved. On the contrary: ... the German government decided at one point to tighten the legislation on spouses joining migrants working in Germany, which above all discriminated against immigrants from Turkey. Another time Merkel unceremoniously announced that multiculturalism had failed. ... It would be far more productive to work to reduce the structures and prejudices that prevent true equality. Symbolic gestures of good will aren't enough in the long term."

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