The Determinants of Germany's Suspension of the Dublin Regulation during the 2015 Syrian Refugee Crisis

This paper explores the issue of suspension of Dublin III Regulation, a cornerstone of Dublin System, by Germany during 2015 Refugee crisis. In 2015 Europe faced unprecedented influx of refugees from the regions with political, economic, legal instability and oppressive governments. European community could not ignore this topic which has been making headlines of the leading news agencies for a long period of time. Politicians and experts called the current crisis “the deepest since World War II”, “historical challenge for Europe” and “unity test”. As a response to the refugee inflows to EU border countries and illegal attempt of asylum seekers to go further to the richer countries of Europe, Germany decided to suspend partially the Dublin III regulation and started policy of “open doors” while other EU Member States officially declared their position against reforming or enlarging the Dublin III Regulation. Therefore, the main question that is explored in this paper is about determinants that moved Germany to suspend the Dublin III Regulation. This work is one of the first attempts to analyze from theoretical point of view decisions of Germany during 2015 Refugee Crisis. As theoretical framework, power-interest, institutional and ideas-based approaches are used.