GERMANY PLANS TO TURN AWAY ASYLUM SEEKERS AT BORDER – No approval will be required from neighboring countries
Germany’s incoming government is preparing to implement a policy that would turn away asylum seekers at its borders without requiring approval from neighboring countries, according to a key member of the coalition.
Jens Spahn, a senior politician from the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and a close ally of party leader Friedrich Merz, asserted that the proposal is legally sound and is being actively discussed in coalition negotiations with the centre-left Social Democratic Party (SPD).
“We are not making ourselves dependent on the consent of the other countries,” Spahn stated in an interview with German media outlet Table.Briefings. a German media outlet.
The mass rejection of asylum seekers was a central promise of the CDU’s election campaign, which resulted in a decisive victory last month. However, critics argue that such a policy would violate EU migration laws and the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) if implemented.
Despite these concerns, Spahn insisted that the plan is lawful and can proceed without needing agreements from Germany’s neighbors. He pointed to a draft section on migration in the coalition’s developing agreement, stating, “It does not say agree, but in coordination.” He further emphasized, “We see all the legal bases there to implement it one way or another.”
Spahn has previously suggested that Germany might consider exiting the ECHR to eliminate legal barriers to the proposed border policy. The debate over these measures is expected to intensify as Germany’s new coalition finalizes its governance plans.
