Syriza liberalizes Greece's immigration policy. Its 'populist' partner may not like it.

[pampango]

Greece outlines radical immigration reforms

Until now, the Greek government's response to all migrants without documentation has been dictated by deterrence and detention policies. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), 45,500 migrants and asylum seekers were apprehended by Greek police in 2014.

But the left-wing Syriza party's resounding victory in Greece's parliamentary elections last month could signal a major shift in policy. Syriza's emphasis on protecting migrants who have entered the country, instead of detaining and deporting them, stands in stark contrast to the priorities in Brussels.

While Syriza's fiscal policies have the support of a country burdened by financial woes, the party is not likely to find the same level of backing for its migration policies.

Syriza's coalition partner, the Independent Greeks, calls in its party manifesto to cap the percentage of migrants at 2.5 percent of the country's population. Currently, this figure stands at 9 percent, according to the IOM. As a result, Syriza's immigration ministry may face an uphill battle in achieving its objectives of granting more asylum requests and assimilating more immigrants.

http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2015/03/greece-outlines-radical-immigration-reforms-150302083444990.html

It is great to see Syriza making Greece more liberal in so many ways. Its populist partner in the government, the Independent Greeks, is a typical right-wing populist party that opposes immigration but supports Syriza in its stance on austerity and loan repayments. Hope this does not jeopardize the coalition.