Germany’s newly formed conservative government has announced it will no longer provide financial support to non-governmental organisations involved in rescuing migrants in the Mediterranean Sea, according to a source from the foreign ministry on Wednesday. The move has drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties and humanitarian groups, who warn it could exacerbate the ongoing crisis in the region.
Under the previous administration led by the Greens’ Annalena Baerbock, the German government allocated significant funding to groups such as SOS Humanity and SOS Mediterranee, which carry out life-saving missions for migrants attempting to cross from Africa to Europe.
In 2023 alone, Germany provided €2 million (£1.7 million) to these rescue organisations. A further €900,000 was disbursed during the first quarter of this year. However, the new government, now under Chancellor Friedrich Merz of the centre-right CDU party, confirmed it will no longer support such initiatives.
“The federal government does not plan to provide further financial support to non-governmental organisations involved in civilian sea rescue,” the ministry source told AFP.
This policy shift is part of a broader clampdown on irregular migration by Merz’s administration, which came to power in May. It follows rising public support for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), which has been increasingly vocal about tightening immigration controls.
The Greens condemned the withdrawal of funding as a “disastrous decision” and accused the ruling coalition—comprising the CDU and centre-left SPD—of worsening conditions in the Mediterranean. Britta Hasselmann, a Green MP, said: “The coalition is predictably exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in the Mediterranean and causing human suffering.”
Gorden Isler, head of the rescue NGO Sea-Eye, said the decision could prevent the group from responding to emergencies at sea. “Now we might have to remain in port despite emergencies at sea,” he warned, calling the move a “catastrophic signal.”
The announcement comes just a week after 21 maritime rescue groups issued a joint appeal to the German government, urging continued financial backing and calling on the EU to increase support for search and rescue missions as well as reception centres.
Over the past decade, such organisations say they have saved more than 175,000 lives in the Mediterranean.
Germany’s role in sea rescues has previously sparked diplomatic tensions, particularly with Italy. In 2023, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni criticised Berlin’s support for NGOs operating in the Mediterranean, accusing it of encouraging migrant landings in Italy.
Tech billionaire Elon Musk also entered the debate at the time, describing Germany’s support for such operations as an “invasion” of Italy. Musk, a known supporter of right-wing politics, publicly backed the AfD ahead of February’s regional elections, where the party achieved a record-breaking second-place finish.
