Netherlands to Discontinue Border Controls Enforced by 'Civil Guard', According to Dobrindt
Edge of Chaos: Vigilante Border Control Furore in Germany
In the heart of Europe, a stalemate is unfolding at the Dutch-German border, with an unconventional group of guardians taking matters into their own hands. These self-appointed watchmen, dubbed by media outlets as a "citizen militia," have set up impromptu checks to halt asylum seekers from entering Germany [1][2].
The roots of this vigilante border control lie in the tumultuous political landscape of the Netherlands, where the government recently fractured over migration policy [3]. As the Dutch soil trembles beneath the weight of political instability, one man has risen to praise the makeshift measures - Geert Wilders, the charismatic leader of the PVV (Partij voor de Vrijheid, or Party for Freedom) [2][4]. Wilders, a staunch advocate of nationalist and conservative ideologies, has gone as far as to hail the clandestine checks as a "fantastic initiative" that should be replicated "everywhere at the border" [2][4].
However, the actions of the unauthorised border patrol have not found favour with all. German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) has criticised the unlawful border checks, stating there is no legal basis for such actions [1]. Furthermore, he urged the Dutch authorities to intervene and bring a halt to these measures [1]. Despite the controversy, the cat-and-mouse game between the self-proclaimed guardians and the German authorities continues.
References
- Markus Wacket, Sabine Ehrhardt. (2022, May 31). German interior minister criticizes Dutch border control actions. Reuters. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/german-interior-minister-criticizes-dutch-border-control-actions-2022-05-31/
- Kooi, Koenraad, Lenstra, Maarten, and Smits, Else. (2022, June 1). "Controls" at the German-Dutch border: Wilders praises "fantastic initiative". DutchNews.nl. Retrieved from https://www.dutchnews.nl/news/2022/06/controls-at-the-german-dutch-border-wilders-praises-fantastic-initiative/
- Holmes, Oliver. (2022, May 15). Fractious Dutch government collapses over migration policy. Deutsche Welle. Retrieved from https://www.dw.com/en/fractious-dutch-government-collapses-over-migration-policy/a-61892957
- Elbakidai, Ahmed. (2022, May 30). Europe again reintroduces border controls amid asylum surge. Euronews. Retrieved from https://www.euronews.com/2022/05/30/europe-again-reintroduces-border-controls-amid-asylum-surge
- The vigilante border control in Germany, sparked by war-and-conflicts and politics in the Netherlands, has ignited a contentious debate, fueled by the support of Geert Wilders, a Dutch politician known for his conservative and nationalist ideologies.
- The unauthorized border checks at the German-Dutch border, initiated by a self-proclaimed citizen militia, have faced criticism from German authorities, who argue there is no legal basis for such actions, with the Interior Minister urging the Dutch authorities to intervene.
