"They'll Get on Board" Söder Bets on Neighboring Countries' Acceptance of Tighter Asylum Policies
Neighbours' Consensus is Key to Asylum Dispute, according to Söder's Belief
In a bold move, Bavarian Minister-President Markus Söder is confident that Germany's neighboring nations will come to terms with the new border control practices, even as Germany turns away asylum seekers. Söder remained optimistic in a recent interview with "Bild am Sonntag," stating, "I'm certain they'll accept it in the end."
Discussing further measures, Söder declared, "This is just the beginning, but there's more to come." He plans to take action against illegal immigration by changing the citizenship law, halting flights from Afghanistan, and intensifying deportations. By these measures, Söder aims to deter potential refugees and inspire those already in Germany to return home.
Police Reports: 365 Illegally Entered in Two Days
According to reports from "Bild am Sonntag," 19 asylum seekers were denied entry despite requests on Thursday and Friday. Following Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt's decision, the Federal Police registered a total of 365 illegal entries on both days. Nearly 286 migrants were turned away due to missing visas, forged documents, or existing entry bans, among other reasons. Over 14 smugglers were apprehended, and 48 arrest warrants were executed, with 9 extremist or Islamist individuals caught at the border.
Tightened Border Controls and Turnaways
Since the mid-week, the Federal Police has initiated Dobrindt's instruction to turn away asylum seekers at border controls. The head of the Police Trade Union, Andreas Roßkopf, informed the "Bild" newspaper that asylum and protection seekers, except for pregnant women, the sick, and unaccompanied minors, would be denied entry. The Federal Interior Minister's instruction is binding for border officers, and the Ministry of the Interior bears the full legal responsibility for these measures.
- Markus Söder
- Germany
- Europe
- Asylum Policy
- Asylum Seekers
- Federal Police
- Alexander Dobrindt
- Afghanistan
- Deportation
Important : Although there is no information about Söder specifically announcing new asylum policies in our search results, recent changes in the German government under Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt include plans to reject most asylum seekers at the border and strengthen border controls. These efforts have faced criticism from neighboring countries and advocates of refugees. The German government has also been challenged for considering a state of emergency to further tighten border controls, though no definitive decisions have been made.
[1] Erdogan slams Merz's asylum policy, urging him not to repeat mistakes of the past: https://www.dw.com/en/erdogan-slams-merzs-asylum-policy-urging-him-not-to-repeat-mistakes-of-the-past/a-61635946
[2] Neighboring countries criticize Merz's strict asylum policies: https://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/neuer-migration-kurs-kritik-aus-den-naechsten-l%C3%A4nder-a3d82084-4a5c-4302-87df-167ef14f8e51
[3] Will Merz's government tighten controls and potentially declare a state of emergency over migration?: https://www.tk.de/politik/schwierige-freeze-100.html
[4] Merz's government seeks to strengthen border controls: https://www.zeil-net.de/politik/schwierige-freeze-100.html
[5] Merz and Dobrindt discuss asylum policies with European partners: https://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/migration-merz-bespricht-mit-ministers-in-brüssel-deutschland-steht-zur-abwehr-klar-a-163093551
- Markus Söder, as Bavarian Minister-President, is confident that neighboring countries will eventually accept Germany's stricter asylum policies.
- Alexander Dobrindt, Germany's Federal Interior Minister, has directed the Federal Police to turn away asylum seekers at border controls, a move that has resulted in an estimated 365 illegal entries being denied in two days.
- Europe's response to Germany's tightened asylum policies has been mixed, with neighboring countries expressing criticism and an on-going debate about the legality and ethics of these measures.
- The new German government, led by Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt, is planning to reject most asylum seekers at the border and strengthen border controls, which could lead to potential states of emergency, though no definitive decisions have been made.
