Messy Start: 100 Days of Border Chaos Isn't an Option
Migrating for a Century: An Impractical Solution
The new federal government isn't making a great first impression, and it appears they're set to continue on this rocky path. This is mostly thanks to Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt. The boss, Chancellor Friedrich Merz, had promised action on immigration policy on the government's first day—but on that day, Merz was in Paris and Warsaw, facing criticism from Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk about the planned repatriation of asylum seekers at the borders.
Back at home, Dobrindt, described by Markus Söder as the "law and order minister," is taking matters into his own hands. Law, sure. But "order" - order - looks different: The word "order" can also be translated as "instruction." There's been plenty of that from the Federal Ministry of the Interior.
Policy Mayhem
First off, federal police are supposed to work longer when they're monitoring the borders: 60 hours a week for three weeks. But what happens after that? We'll see.
More federal police are supposed to be sent to the border. But who will protect airports, train stations, and other inland objects? You guessed it—We'll see.
Repatriation Uncertainty
The next item on the agenda involves the return of asylum seekers at the borders: Are they to be, should they be, can they be, or may they be repatriated? Dobrindt's answer, given on Maybrit Illner's ZDF show on Thursday evening, is: So far, they couldn't be repatriated, now they can. But they don't have to. Guidelines seem non-existent. The only clarity is: "Vulnerable groups," such as children and pregnant women, will not be repatriated. And the parents of the children? And the men of the pregnant women? Your guess is as good as ours—We'll see.
State of Confusion
Chancellor Merz can only comment on the topic in Poland after a phone call with his minister. It appears as though one hand doesn't know what the other has already messed up. The government spokesperson then adds that Dobrindt wants to declare a state of emergency to combat illegal migration. Dobrindt denies this, telling ZDF on Thursday evening that he doesn't contradict a journalist who interprets his statements as a "no."
A Dose of Reality
CDU General Secretary Carsten Linnemann angrily demands action whenever criticism of the coalition arises. He finds this criticism annoying at first—he lets ARD know on Wednesday evening—and then just ignores it, promising a sit-down in a hundred days. But that's just nonsense. If you want to govern, you have to be ready to govern—right away, not in a hundred days. Every new employee needs to deliver full performance after a brief familiarization period, or else their probation period will end faster than they can say "unemployed."
The Union parties have been complaining for three and a half years that the responsible parties of the traffic light parties are amateurs in immigration policy. So one can certainly expect that they have prepared themselves to do it right from day one—and at least to avoid hasty decisions and contradictory communication.
Dobrindt's anxiousness for quick successes is understandable. But first, he has made himself look quite ridiculous. If he had taken a bit more time for his decrees, no one would have held it against him. With the traffic light coalition ending on November 6, important decisions have been postponed, delayed, and put off. Two more weeks wouldn't have made much of a difference.
Dobrindt would be wise to slow down a bit. And to hope for his boss. Merz is scheduled to give a government declaration in the Bundestag on Wednesday. Then the Chancellor can hopefully bring a little calm and order to the place. Otherwise, this government risks becoming a laughing stock before it even starts working properly. The failed Chancellor election is sending its regards.
- Friedrich Merz
- Alexander Dobrindt
- Migration
Extra Knowledge for the Curious Mind:
- Germany's Border Enforcement: Tighter border controls and enhanced police capacity are being implemented, along with increased rejections at the border, a focus on repatriation, and a digitalization effort for streamlining processes [1][2][3][4][5].
- SPD and CDU Coalition Agreement: The coalition government has agreed on several immigration reforms, including legislative changes, a revised five-year naturalization period, reduced work restrictions for refugees, and the removal of the Western Balkan migration quota [2].
- The federal government, under Chancellor Friedrich Merz, is facing criticism for contradictory policy decisions, particularly in relation to migration and employment policy, as seen in the case of Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt and his handling of border control and repatriation.
- The employment policy of the federal government, as represented by Minister Dobrindt, seems to lack clear guidelines, with uncertain lengths of workweeks for federal police monitoring the borders and unclear repatriation policies for asylum seekers.
- The migration policy, as outlined by Dobrindt, has raised questions about the repatriation of asylum seekers, with confusion about who can, should, or may be repatriated, and exemptions for vulnerable groups such as children and pregnant women.
- The policies and legislation regarding migration and employment are causing concern within Germany's political landscape, with the CDU General Secretary, Carsten Linnemann, pushing for immediate action to address the issues and avoid being labeled as amateurs in immigration policy.
