In the Bavarian town of Kiefersfelden, situated on the border with Austria in the Alps, the newly appointed Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt of the Christian Social Union (CSU) spoke about the government’s immigration policy in the rain. He announced stricter border controls to tackle criminal activities related to people smuggling.
Germany’s conservative parties, the Christian Democrats (CDU) and CSU, have declared war on “illegal immigration” during the election campaign. As part of their agenda, they are now turning back asylum- seekers at the border, with exceptions only for “vulnerable” individuals.
Previously, anyone reaching German soil could apply for asylum while in the country. However, now the policy has changed.
Dobrindt stated that the government is cracking down on criminal activities related to people smuggling. Since the new coalition government took office, the number of attempts to enter the country has increased by 45% compared to the previous week.
Dobrindt’s actions can also be seen as a break from the open asylum policy of former Chancellor Angela Merkel, who allowed hundreds of thousands of refugees into Germany in 2015 and 2016.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz emphasized that Germany would still remain a country of immigration but would prioritize police controls. The new immigration policy is also a result of the electoral success of the far-right, anti-immigration Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.
However, the new German stance on immigration has not been well received by all. Poland, for instance, declined to take refugees from Germany and made it clear that it would not host them.
While Dobrindt has expressed willingness to work with European partners on immigration and asylum policies, Merz stated during the election campaign that he wanted to limit the number of refugees to 100,000 per year.
Source: https://www.dw.com/en/germany-cracks-down-on-immigration-at-border/a-72570978?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf
