Munich mayor opposes airport deportation terminal but cannot stop it

Munich's new mayor, Dominik Krause, intends to vote against a planned deportation terminal at Munich Airport, arguing it would harm the city's reputation. "Large-scale deportations should not be part of the Munich Airport's business model," Krause stated in an interview with the "Abendzeitung." He believes the terminal contradicts Munich's image as a "world city with heart" and plans to vote no in the Airport Munich Company's supervisory board. The federal government aims to establish the terminal to significantly increase deportation numbers, a project strongly opposed by refugee and human rights organizations. Krause expressed concern that Munich could become a hub for deportations across Europe, given the terminal's scale and declining asylum numbers in Germany. However, the airport's supervisory board, which must approve major projects, has a clear majority in favor. The airport's shareholders are the state of Bavaria (51%), the federal government (26%), and the city of Munich (23%), giving the federal and state governments decisive voting power. Reports indicate the terminal may be larger than initially planned, with the airport company building it and the federal government paying rent. It is expected to facilitate up to 100 deportations per day. This marks the first significant public disagreement between Krause and the Bavarian state government, though they have collaborated on other projects like Munich's Olympic bid.