Policy Brief in English: "Solidarity Cities: Pioneering Alternatives in Migration Policy"

In 2015, Europe witnessed what became known as the “Summer of Migration”, when over 1 million people fleeing war and persecution in Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq and beyond crossed borders in search of safety and dignity. For a brief moment, the rigid architecture of “Fortress Europe” appeared to crack. Across Germany and other European countries, citizens organized spontaneous acts of solidarity, and political leaders spoke of a new era of humanitarian responsibility. Ten years later, this spirit of openness has given way to a politics of deterrence and exclusion.

The European Union’s 2024 Pact on Migration and Asylum has entrenched a security-driven approach, enabling accelerated border procedures and externalizing asylum responsibilities to third countries. In Germany, the former “traffic-light” coalition (consisting of the Social Democrats, Greens, and the Free Democrats) passed measures restricting the right to family reunification and limited humanitarian admission programmes. Since 2025, a new federal government has pursued an even harsher course, endorsing border pushbacks and further tightening asylum law — steps that contravene both human rights and EU standards. Across the continent, the dominant political discourse increasingly normalizes such violations under the guise of control.

Against this backdrop, cities have emerged as crucial — and often defiant — sites of solidarity. Despite their limited legal competences, municipalities across Europe have shown that alternative, humane approaches to migration governance are both possible and effective, even within restrictive national frameworks. They have evolved beyond their traditional role as implementers of national policy to become transformative actors in migration policy.

This policy brief traces the evolution of the growing “Solidarity Cities” movement — from Palermo and Barcelona to Berlin, Potsdam, and Rothenburg. It presents, through inspiring examples, the scope for action, strategies, and tools that municipalities can use to practically implement and advance the reception and inclusion of people seeking protection from the ground up. These strategies and initiatives have been shaped by municipalities themselves, hand-in-hand with social movements.

Now, as borders are closing and pushbacks are taking place in and around Europe, solidarity cities should re-activate and amplify their migration policy voice. In the spirit of the 2015 Summer of Migration and the subsequent Safe Harbours movement, they can — and must — use their political leverage and moral authority anew. For it is these cities that have already shown, and can show again, that another migration policy is not only necessary but entirely possible.

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