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Complaints about enhanced border controls from Kehl and Strasbourg have raised concerns in May. However, the federal government, specifically Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU), has yet to respond to these concerns.
With an initial letter to Chancellor Merz in mid-May, the independent mayor of Kehl, Wolfram Britz, and Strasbourg's mayor, Jeanne Barseghian, vocalized their qualms about the stricter border controls and expressed interest in a visit from the Chancellor. Still, no response was received regarding their criticisms, which note that these controls are adversely affecting life in the German-French metropolitan area.
New Letter to French Parliamentarians
McMessage sent to French parliamentarian Brigitte Klinkert, in the second letter, the mayors of Kehl and Strasbourg again question the stricter border controls. Klinkert, a native of Alsace, has held various ministerial posts in Paris. The two mayors urge a reduction in control intensity to the level before May 8, according to Kehl's announcement.
The second letter's motivation was the 40th anniversary of the Schengen Agreement, which was signed on June 14, 1985. Germany, France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands agreed in Schengen to progressively dismantle border controls. Currently, 29 countries with approximately 420 million inhabitants are part of the Schengen Area.
Issues due to Border Controls
According to Kehl and Strasbourg's assessment, the tougher controls are causing economic difficulties. It seems as though fewer customers from Strasbourg's neighboring region are visiting Kehl's businesses. Traffic congestion is frequently observed at the European Bridge linking Strasbourg and Kehl due to the stricter controls. Many Alsatians work and shop in Baden-Württemberg, resulting in daily transit across borders.
Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) ordered a tightening of border controls shortly after taking office and allowed for the return of asylum seekers at the border. In accordance with the minister, the number of rejections increased by nearly half within a week.
Source: [1] Enrichment Data
The mayors voice their concerns because enhanced border controls impose economic hurdles and create complications for workers in the cross-border metropolitan area. These stricter controls make daily commuting and cross-border activities more challenging, impacting the integrated nature of the community reliant on open borders for social and economic interaction.
In essence, these tougher border controls, aimed at curtailing illegal migration, involve increased police deployment, drones, helicopters, and thermal imaging cameras at the border. Although intended to discourage illegal migration, the stricter controls have unintended consequences for daily life in border regions, especially metropolitan areas where people work on one side and live on the other.
The mayors of Kehl and Strasbourg have expressed their concerns about the impact of stricter border controls on policy-and-legislation, politics, and general-news, as they affect the economy and daily life in the German-French metropolitan area. In a second letter to French parliamentarian Brigitte Klinkert, they urged a reduction in control intensity, highlighting the significance of the Schengen Agreement and the integrated nature of the cross-border community.
