Shortly before the meeting of Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser (SPD) with representatives of the traffic light parties, the opposition and the states, according to information from Tagesspiegel, it is becoming clear what proposal the minister would like to make to the conservatives regarding possible rejections at the borders.
CDU leader Friedrich Merz has demanded a “comprehensive” rejection of refugees at Germany’s external borders as a condition for the Union’s support for the federal government’s migration policy. Since this is difficult to implement under European law, he urged the declaration of a national emergency.
Faeser announced on Monday nationwide border controls for the next six monthsShe also said that her ministry had examined the Union’s proposal. Her department had also found a legally secure way to turn away more refugees. However, Faeser did not explicitly provide any details on this, saying that she wanted to hold confidential talks with the Union and the states first.
After the Federal Ministry of the Interior’s review, it is clear that Friedrich Merz’s proposals are clearly not feasible in accordance with European law.
There will be no national emergency, it is said Green government circles.
But shortly before the talks in the Interior Ministry this afternoon, it became clear what kind of offer Faeser would like to bring to the talks. “After the Federal Ministry of the Interior’s review, it is clear that Friedrich Merz’s proposals are clearly not feasible in accordance with European law,” said Green government circles. Other sources confirmed this statement to the Tagesspiegel.
Since the rejection of asylum seekers is not compatible with the Basic Law, the Federal Ministry of the Interior has apparently drawn up a different plan. It provides for refugees who apply for asylum at the border to be accommodated near the border. This could be in camps or temporary accommodations. There, their asylum application will be examined using a fast-track procedure.
Anyone who does not have the right to stay in Germany after this quick check should then be expelled or returned promptly. “Fake answers do not help,” said a Green government source. And further: “We have made it clear that it makes sense to bring forward parts of the reform of the Common European Asylum System (CEAS).”
Saxony and Bavaria come into focus
In fact, the idea from the Ministry of the Interior to the CEAS reform of the EU states. In early summer, they decided to carry out asylum procedures at the EU’s external borders and then distribute the refugees across Europe. However, since the CEAS has not yet been ratified by the 27 nation states, the regulation does not yet apply. The proposal from the Interior Ministry would be a kind of small-scale CEAS.
This regulation would be particularly relevant for two federal states: Saxony and Bavaria. Since a particularly large number of refugees reach Germany via their borders, the temporary accommodations are to be built here. However, it is still unclear who would be responsible for the accommodation and the border-related procedures. According to information from Tagesspiegel, the two federal states governed by the CDU and CSU respectively have not yet been informed.
It is questionable whether the Union will accept this new proposal. Only on Tuesday morning did the two parties confirm their Participation in the discussions. “We will not allow ourselves to be relativized or to use a limited method of rejection,” Merz said on Monday.
With the new proposal, the traffic light coalition apparently wants to put the CDU chairman under pressure. If the Union agrees to this, it will no longer be able to criticize the federal government for its migration policy. If it rejects the proposal, Merz would be seen as a populist brake block – or at least that is the calculation of the traffic light coalition.
