AfD proposal on payment card: City boss lodges objection

Dresden's Lord Mayor Dirk Hilbert (FDP) has objected to the city council's decision to introduce a separate payment card for asylum seekers in the Saxon state capital. The city administration's examination of the decision showed that its implementation would be detrimental to Dresden, the city announced on Thursday. As a result of the objection, the city council will have to deal with the application again at its next meeting on April 18. The vote had made headlines nationwide because CDU votes had given the AfD proposal a majority.

"As city leaders, the aldermen and I welcome the nationwide introduction of a payment card for refugees," said Hilbert according to the press release. However, developing and introducing a separate card in the meantime would not make sense.

Last week, the city council approved an AfD motion to introduce a separate payment card for asylum seekers in Dresden - also with votes from the CDU, FDP and Free Voters. Federal CDU chairman Friedrich Merz sharply criticized the behaviour of his party colleagues, saying that the CDU had always said that it would not agree to AfD proposals, regardless of the parliament.

The federal and state governments have agreed to provide part of the state benefits for asylum seekers as credit on a payment card in future. However, it is still unclear when a legal basis already initiated by the Federal Cabinet will be passed by the Bundestag. The specific design of the card is the responsibility of the federal states.

According to Hilbert, a Dresden card would not be ready before the nationwide solution, as it would have to be put out to tender nationwide. "Implementing the decision would also tie up administrative staff time and incur costs for which there is no financial cover," argued the Lord Mayor. According to the statement, the predicted costs are between 140,000 and 230,000 euros with a minimum period of use of three months.

The chairman of the AfD Dresden district association, André Wendt, criticized the contradiction. Hilbert had "obviously not been able to cope with the fact that an AfD motion - on such an important topic - was approved by a majority", he said.

In accordance with the Saxon municipal code, the mayor can object to resolutions if he believes that they are detrimental to the municipality. If they are unlawful, he is obliged to do so. In his objection, Hilbert points out that if the resolution is passed again, the illegality of the application would have to be examined due to the lack of financial cover.