German lawmakers back suspension of family reunion for some migrants

Family reunification for migrants in Germany only enjoying limited protection status - most of them Syrians - is set to be suspended for two years, according to a bill approved by lawmakers on Friday.

The legislation brought by the conservative-led government received the backing of 444 members of the Bundestag, the country's lower house of parliament, with a majority of 316 required.

A total of 135 of voted against the bill, according to Bundestag Deputy President Bodo Ramelow.

The bill proposed by Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt aims to suspend family reunification for two years for people holding so-called "subsidiary protection status," who are allowed to remain in Germany due to the threat of political persecution in their homelands, despite lacking formal refugee status.

The bill says that almost 400,000 residents have subsidiary protection. Around three-quarters are reportedly Syrian nationals.

The legislation foresees that these people will only be able to bring close family members - spouses, children and, in the case of unaccompanied minors, parents - to Germany in exceptional cases.

Family reunification for people with subsidiary protection is already restricted to 1,000 relatives in total per month, unlike for those with refugee status, meaning the new legislation is unlikely to significantly bring down the number of migrants arriving in Germany - one of the campaign pledges of Dobrindt's conservatives.

Addressing parliament on Friday, the minister said the bill was aimed at both controlling and limiting immigration to Germany. "That is the task for this legislative period," he added in a speech accompanied by numerous heckles from the floor.