Chancellor Olaf Scholz and the Union faction in the Bundestag have underlined their serious desire to find common solutions to curb irregular migration. Nevertheless, it was not clear until late last night whether a further meeting planned for this Tuesday between the government, the Union as the largest opposition force in the federal government and state representatives would take place. The Union faction is missing further details from the government on the legal certainty of rejections, explained Parliamentary Secretary Thorsten Frei.
Representatives of the government, the CDU/CSU parliamentary group and the federal states met last week. On Monday, Faeser ordered temporary controls at all German land borders to further reduce the number of illegal entries. The controls are to begin on September 16 and initially last for six months. The government has also developed a “model for effective rejections that are in line with European law,” the ministry said. Faeser said she had informed the CDU/CSU parliamentary group of this and offered confidential discussions on the matter.
EU-wide domino effect expected
“Unfortunately,” the minister did not give him any details in a phone call, said Frei on ARD’s “Tagesthemen.” Last week, it was agreed that the government would communicate its legal position on the matter. Rejections at the border are a decisive criterion for the Union as to whether further talks in this format make sense.
The Union assumes that its opinion is compatible with EU law. Frei also expects a domino effect if Germany turns people away: other countries would then do the same. The CDU politician was convinced that more effective European external protection would be achieved within days, if not hours.
Frei stressed: “If we manage to achieve something here, it would be a great achievement for our country and the people here.” The Union is striving to find a solution. However, an “honest solution” must be found on both sides.
Chancellor would be “really happy” about working together with the Union
Chancellor Scholz assured that the government was serious about finding joint solutions. “We would also be happy if we could do something together, including with the opposition,” said the SPD politician at the summer party of the party newspaper “Vorwärts.” “Within the framework of clear principles. But we would really be happy.” The SPD’s offer was sincere. “It won’t be our fault if it doesn’t work,” the Chancellor continued.
Scholz also pointed out that the federal government has already introduced laws and the recently presented security package. It provides for measures to take a tougher approach to the return of rejected asylum seekers to their countries of origin, steps to combat Islamist terror more decisively and tightening up gun laws. It is to be discussed in the Bundestag on Thursday.
Greens accuse Union of “attempts at blackmail”
Meanwhile, the Greens have sharply criticized the Union’s stance. “Friedrich Merz is behaving like a stubborn child,” said the parliamentary manager of the Greens’ parliamentary group, Irene Mihalic, to the editorial network Germany. “These attempts at blackmail are just ridiculous.” The Greens would accept the Interior Minister’s invitation to the meeting.
The temporary controls at all German land borders ordered by Faeser were approved by CDU/CSU representatives from the states. However, Hesse’s Prime Minister Boris Rhein insisted in the newspapers of the Funke media group and North Rhine-Westphalia’s Interior Minister Herbert Reul (both CDU) in the “Tagesspiegel” newspaper on rejections at the borders.
At the same time, Reul urged “prudent” action. “We also want to preserve the wonderful achievement of open borders in Europe,” he stressed. SPD leader Saskia Esken told the Funke newspapers that a limitation of irregular migration on watertight grounds was necessary. But it was also important that Germany kept “a friendly face.”
Left Party leader Martin Schirdewan criticized the overall direction of the debate and linked this to the upcoming budget discussions. “Everyone is talking about isolation. We are not. Instead of continuing to follow the right-wing in order to distract from the next budget cuts, we finally need an investment turnaround for a fair, safe and functioning coexistence in our country,” said Schirdewan.
Concerns for police union and foreign trade
The police union (GdP) reacted with scepticism to Faeser’s announcement about the border controls. The chairman of the Federal Police, Andreas Roßkopf, raised the question of feasibility in view of the already high workload of his colleagues. “It will be a very sporting challenge,” he told the RND.
Faeser’s announcement also caused concern in the business world. Restrictions on the free movement of people always mean delays and thus cost increases for the economy, said the president of the German Wholesale and Foreign Trade Association (BGA), Dirk Jandura, to the “Handelsblatt”. “They disrupt logistics and thus disrupt supply chains.”
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