In the wake of the deadly Solingen attack, CDU leader Friedrich Merz has proposed a dramatic shift in Germany’s approach to migration policy, offering Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) a joint effort to tighten asylum laws and limit irregular migration. Following a meeting with Scholz, Merz suggested that the CDU/CSU and SPD could collaborate to pass new migration laws in the Bundestag, potentially bypassing the current coalition partners, the Greens and FDP.Merz’s proposals include rejecting asylum applications at German borders, deporting rejected asylum seekers to Syria and Afghanistan, and potentially declaring a ‘national emergency’ to override EU regulations. ‘We must control and limit the influx of migrants across and over the German state borders,’ Merz stated, emphasizing that this is not a request to join the coalition but a call for urgent action.The CDU leader criticized Scholz, saying, ‘The Chancellor is losing control of the country and losing the trust of the people’. Merz suggested appointing negotiators from both sides to draft concrete proposals, aiming to pass legislation during the September budget week.However, the proposals have faced criticism. SPD parliamentary group deputy leader Dirk Wiese argued that a general ban on accepting people from Syria and Afghanistan would violate the German constitution and the protection promise for persecuted individuals. Interior Minister Nancy Faeser has previously stated that deportations to Afghanistan and Syria are only possible in individual cases.Chancellor Scholz, while welcoming the offer of cooperation, emphasized that the government and opposition should work together ‘not in a chaotic manner, but together’. As political tensions rise ahead of upcoming regional elections, the debate over migration policy continues to intensify, with both sides seeking a balance between security concerns and humanitarian obligations.
Key points
- CDU leader Friedrich Merz has proposed a joint approach with Chancellor Scholz to tighten migration policies.
- Merz suggested bypassing the Greens and FDP to pass new migration laws using the CDU/CSU and SPD majority.
- The proposals include stricter border controls, deportations to Syria and Afghanistan, and potentially declaring a ‘national emergency’.
- Critics argue that some proposals may violate constitutional rights and international obligations.
Contradictions👾While Merz claims his proposal is not a request to join the coalition, his suggestion to bypass the Greens and FDP effectively calls for a coalition break.
👾Merz criticizes Scholz for ‘losing control of the country’, yet offers to work closely with him on migration policy.
