Social Benefits for Asylum Applicants and Returnees and the German Constitution

In a unique line of judgments, the German constitutional court interprets the German constitution to require near-equal treatment of asylum applicants and returnees with German nationals in the domain of core social benefits, while the precise contours of the case law are contested. Professor Thym joins an expert hearing in the Committee for Work and Social Affairs of the German parliament, both with a written statement and orally (in German). His views have also been taken up by newspaper articles in DIE WELT, the FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG, and the SÜDKURIER. A video of the oral hearing can be found online (first intervention at minute 9’40).