A Rough Start: 100 Days of Immature Migration Policy Aren't an Option
Migrating within a span of hundred days isn't a feasible choice.
The freshly minted German federal government has stumbled out of the gate and appears to be sticking to the script. It seems like they're fumbling in the dark, with right hands unaware of left hand's missteps.
In the opening days of their tenure, the federal government isn't leaving a favorable impression, primarily due to Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt. He's under the pump, as Chancellor Friedrich Merz pledged to tackle migration policy on the first day of his government even before the elections. However, on the initial day, Merz jet-setted off to Paris and then Warsaw. In Poland, Merz was immediately lambasted by Prime Minister Donald Tusk over plans to repatriate asylum seekers at the borders.
Meanwhile, Interior Minister Dobrindt of the CSU, dubbed by his boss Markus Söder as a "Law-and-Order Minister," is making waves domestically. True, he's all about law, but "order" tells a different story: The English word "order" can also mean "instruction." And there's been a veritable downpour of that from the Federal Ministry of the Interior.
Political Chaos: As It Spins
First off, federal police are supposed to put in more hours on border duty: 60 hours a week, for three weeks. But what about after that? Your guess is as good as ours.
More federal police are meant to be deployed to the border. But who'll secure airports, train stations, and other inland objects? Again, your guess is as good as ours.
What Now?
The repatriation of asylum seekers at the borders is the next topic of discussion: Must they, should they, can they, or may they be repatriated? Dobrindt's response on Maybrit Illner's ZDF show on Thursday evening was cryptic: So far, they couldn't be repatriated, now they can but they don't have to. There don't seem to be any guidelines. In fact, the only thing that's clear is that "vulnerable groups," children, and pregnant women won't be repatriated. And parents of the children, men of the pregnant women? You know: We'll see.
More Political Dilemmas: Over the Top or Just Warming Up?
To complicate matters further, Chancellor Merz could only voice his opinions on the topic in Poland after a phone call with his Minister. The resulting impression is disconcerting: One doesn't know what the other has already messed up. Eventually, the government spokesman chimes in, suggesting Dobrindt is eyeing a state of emergency to combat illegal migration. He denies this on Thursday evening on ZDF, or rather, he doesn't contradict a journalist who interprets his statements as a "no."
The Hundred-Day Joke: All Style, No Substance
"Let's just get to work," demands CDU General Secretary Carsten Linnemann whenever criticism of the coalition arises. He finds the criticism childish, he tells ARD on Wednesday evening. In a hundred days, they can discuss it. Then: We'll see.
But that's just absurd. If you want to govern, you need to govern—or step aside. Immediately, not in a hundred days. One would expect that a new government, after three and a half years of griping about the incompetence of the opposition, would hit the ground running. However, the Union parties seem to be showing the same lack of preparedness.
Politics Faction Leaders Miersch and Spahn: Black-Red's Success Hinges on the Unattainable Duo
It's a testament to Dobrindt's ambition that he wants quick victories. But first, he's made a bit of a fool of himself. If he had taken a moment to think, no one would have minded. Since the end of the traffic light coalition on November 6, important decisions have been postponed, delayed, and put off. Two more weeks wouldn't have mattered.
Dobrindt would be wise to back off the gas pedal. And to hope for his boss. Merz is set to deliver a government declaration in the Bundestag on Wednesday. Then the Chancellor should bring a bit of rationality and order to the chaos. Otherwise, this government risks becoming the butt of jokes before it's even properly started working. The failed Chancellor election sends its regards.
- Friedrich Merz
- Alexander Dobrindt
- Migration
- Chancellor Friedrich Merz pledged to address migration policy on the first day of his government, yet he didn't show up at work on that day but went to Paris and Warsaw instead.
- The Federal Interior Minister, Alexander Dobrindt, is under pressure due to his government's contradictory policies on migration, causing uncertainty and risks within the community.
- The CSU's Law-and-Order Minister, Alexander Dobrindt, has been flooding the Federal Ministry of the Interior with instructions for immigration policy, but the guidelines remain unclear and vague.
- The federal government's policies on migration seem to be disorganized, with no apparent plan for long-term security measures, creating confusion and uncertainties for various sectors, such as transportation and air travel.
