Germany to Set Up Temporary Controls at All Land Borders to Curb Irregular Migration
Interior Minister Nancy Faeser announced on Monday that Germany will be implementing temporary border controls at all of its land borders in an effort to reduce irregular migration. The controls will be in place for six months at the borders with France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Denmark, in addition to the existing controls at the borders with Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria, and Switzerland.
Faeser emphasized the need to strengthen controls at national borders until strong protection of the EU’s external borders is achieved through the new Common European Asylum System. The decision to extend controls comes in response to the surge of refugees arriving in Germany in recent years and the political pressure faced by the coalition government of Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
The far-right party AfD, known for its anti-immigration stance, has gained popularity in Germany, winning its first state election in Thuringia earlier this month. The issue of migration has become a key point of political tension, with the government coalition and the main opposition set to discuss Germany’s migration policy.
The announcement of expanded border controls comes just before the talks, with the opposition demanding clarification on the government’s intentions regarding refoulement – the return of individuals to a country where they may face persecution. The leader of the opposition, Friedrich Merz, has stressed the importance of comprehensive refoulement at Germany’s external borders for any potential collaboration on migration policy.
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