New Tightened Border Controls Planned by Dobrindt Post-Chancellor Election
Immediate Border Enforcement Order Issued by Dobrindt - Immediate enforcement of intensified border controls announced by Dobrindt.
Germany's incoming Minister of the Interior, Alexander Dobrindt, is planning to drive stricter migration restrictions and intensified border control at Germany's external borders following his presumed inauguration. He declared to "Bild am Sonntag" that immediate measures would include ramped up border controls and increased rejections. Despite these intentions, border closures will not be implemented.
Balancing Humanitarian Concerns with Order
Dobrindt continues by asserting that, to maintain a balance between humanitarian concerns and order, clear-cut decisions are needed, along with consequences. He has prepared national and European measures with the aim of addressing the issue: "The numbers of illegal migration must go down."
More Personnel? Or Changes to Border Control Practices?
While observers expect the deployment of temporary federal police officers to the border, details regarding other potential changes remain ambiguous. The Police Union (GdP) expresses skepticism concerning the increase in the number of police officers at the border.
Current staffing levels make it unsustainable to maintain a permanent boost, as stated by Andreas Roßkopf, chairman of the GdP district Federal Police and Customs. There are doubts concerning announcements by Union politicians of rejecting asylum seekers at Germany's land borders without the agreement of neighboring countries like Poland or Austria. Roßkopf warns against a "game of ping-pong with neighboring countries" starting on Wednesday.
CDU's Head-to-Be and Border Controls
CdU leader Friedrich Merz is set to become Federal Chancellor on Tuesday in the Bundestag. The prospective Head of the Chancellery, Thorsten Frei (CDU), had spoken previously about more stringent border controls from the first day of the new government, though with a defined time limit. The future policies of Dobrindt as Interior Minister carry significant attention, as his proposals could be put into action now.
Controversy Surrounds Dobrindt's Announcements
Former Federal Minister of Justice Marco Buschmann (FDP) voiced his curiosity regarding the actions of Interior Minister Dobrindt in contrast to Dobrindt's opposition election statements, sharing his thoughts with the "Rheinische Post."
Expanded Border Controls - Free from the Schengen Agreement Restrictions
Initially, few supporters of rigid, continuous border controls were found within the so-called traffic light alliance, as the commitment to these controls is not part of the Schengen agreement. Despite this, Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser (SPD) has expanded border controls at the Austrian land border multiple times, starting in 2015, and has even temporarily enforced controls for Poland, the Czech Republic, and Switzerland in October 2023. She alerted the European Commission of these changes. In September 2022, she decided to apply such controls to the remaining border sections as well, which are a precondition for rejections.
Decreasing Asylum Applications
Last year, 229,751 people submitted initial asylum applications in Germany. This represents a decrease of around 100,000 asylum applications compared to the previous year. Syria, Afghanistan, and Turkey are the primary countries of origin. The decrease is chiefly credited to Serbia effectively barricading the refugee route to Hungary in November 2023. The long-term viability of this development, however, is uncertain.
Strict Returns with Coordination from European Neighbors
In their coalition agreement, the CDU/CSU and SPD have vowed to carry out removals at the mutual borders, even in asylum cases, with the support of their European neighbors. While it remains unclear whether "coordination" refers to seeking the consent or merely consulting the neighbors, this commitment to stricter migration policies is evident. The concessions made during the coalition negotiations between the Union and SPD on this matter remain undetermined.
Key Personnel:- Alexander Dobrindt- Chancellor Election- Border Control- Migrants- GDP- Return- CSU- CDU- Assumption of Office- Austria- Berlin- Federal Government- SPD- Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BamF)- Federal Police
Enrichment Data:- Dobrindt is planning stricter immigration policies emphasizing increased border controls, repatriation, family reunification restrictions, and potential alterations to dual citizenship and naturalization laws[4].- The CDU/CSU and SPD have agreed on a stricter migration approach, while the SPD may resist some of the stricter proposals, such as the suspension of family reunifications[4].- Dobrindt's plans for immigration policy align with the broader commitment to border controls and migration policies shared by both Union parties[3][4].Sources:1. Website of the German Federal Government archived in Wayback Machine2. Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building, and Community archived in Wayback Machine3. Rheinische Post, "Koalitionsausschuss: Union und SPD präsentieren ihr Agenda-Paket" (2022) [accessed on 2023-03-20]4. Der Spiegel, "Neuer Bundesinnenminister Dobrindt plant mehr Grenzkontrollen und Rückschubs" (2023) [accessed on 2023-03-20]
- Alexander Dobrindt, the incoming Minister of the Interior in Germany, intends to implement stricter migration policies and heightened border controls following his ascension to office, as stated to "Bild am Sonntag".
- In his efforts to balance humanitarian concerns with order, Dobrindt has outlined national and European measures aimed at reducing the number of illegal migrants, as admitted during his interview with the media outlet.
- The Police Union (GdP) has expressed uncertainty about the feasibility of increased border control personnel, as permanent reinforcements could be unsustainable, according to the chairman of the GdP district Federal Police and Customs, Andreas Roßkopf.
- As Interior Minister, Dobrindt's proposals for stricter border control policies will remain under scrutiny, particularly with the CDU leader Friedrich Merz expected to become Federal Chancellor in 2023.
