Offenbach commits to the Foreigners' Advisory Council
26.05.2020 – The state government has decided to reorganize the representation of foreign citizens. However, Offenbach is sticking with the tried-and-tested concept of the Foreigners' Advisory Council.
The state of Hesse has decided on new regulations for representatives of foreign citizens. However, the city council in Offenbach is sticking with the tried and tested advisory board concept.
The state government noted that participation in the elections for the Foreigners' Advisory Council (ALB) had been low for some time. In order to increase voter turnout, the state government has now enacted an amendment to the Hessian municipal code, according to which the election date for the Foreigners' Advisory Council will be merged with that of the local elections. To this end, the current legislative period of the foreigners' advisory councils is expected to be extended until March 2021.
ALB may submit proposals in future
The amendment to the law also strengthens the position of the ALB, which will in future be able to submit motions to the municipal council itself when it comes to important matters affecting foreign residents. The state of Hesse is thus expanding the role of the Foreigners' Advisory Council, which was previously limited to advising local politicians.
"We will achieve a greater voice for the interests of our foreign fellow citizens," says Abdelkader Rafoud, Chairman of the Foreigners' Advisory Council in Offenbach, who is delighted with the new right to submit motions.
"Integration Commission" instead of ALB?
In addition to strengthening the position of the foreigners' advisory council, the state government has also decided to give municipalities with more than 1,000 registered foreign residents an alternative to the mandatory establishment of a foreigners' advisory council.
In future, municipalities will be able to set up an "Integration Commission", Section 89 HGO, which can take over the activities of the Foreigners' Advisory Council. However, this right to vote no longer applies in favor of the commission if no nominations are submitted in the run-up to a municipal foreigners' advisory council election. The members of such a commission would no longer be elected, but appointed.
"For municipalities without an advisory council for foreigners, the obligation to establish an "integration commission" is certainly a good step, but we in Offenbach have an established advisory council for foreigners," explains Rafoud. "This is precisely where the work of the ALB is so important, because Offenbach is the city with the highest proportion of migrants in the population in Germany." This is why the current chairman of the committee sought talks with the city council at an early stage. Their quick and fruitful response showed how much the work of the Foreigners' Advisory Council is appreciated in Offenbach.
Offenbach remains loyal to the ALB
The Foreigners' Advisory Council has been working successfully in Offenbach since 1985. This particularly long tradition is also recognized by the magistrate's bill, which supports the committee's activities. "This tradition and the established structures should be maintained, as opportunities for foreign residents to participate in local politics are particularly important in a city like Offenbach. The city has enjoyed a good and trusting working relationship with this body for many years and values the work of the representatives of the Foreigners' Advisory Council, which is carried out with great commitment. There is therefore no reason in Offenbach to choose an alternative form of representing the interests of the city's foreign population."
The city council followed this view on February 5, 2020 and decided by a large majority to continue the "good cooperation between the city and the Foreigners' Advisory Council". This made Offenbach the first city in Hesse to make a clear commitment to the continued existence of the Foreigners' Advisory Council. Rafoud is happy about the decision and promises to do everything in his power to keep the work of the Foreigners' Advisory Council successful in the future.