Germany is set to enhance border controls across all its land borders starting September 16, aiming to address irregular migration and mitigate risks associated with extremism.
This initiative, which will initially last for six months, will be enforced within the European Schengen zone, traditionally known for its open borders.
The new measures include a controversial scheme that allows German authorities to reject a higher number of migrants directly at the borders, though specific details of this approach remain vague.
This crackdown on migration is part of Germany’s broader strategy to address the influx of migrants, particularly those fleeing conflict and poverty from the Middle East. The move aligns with the government’s efforts to address growing concerns about public services, integration, and security, which have fueled support for the far-right and conservative parties.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s administration is responding to a rise in far-right sentiments, spurred in part by recent violent incidents involving asylum seekers.
These attacks have heightened fears about immigration and strengthened the far-right’s political position. The Alternative for Germany (AfD), a far-right party, recently made history by winning a state election in Thuringia, campaigning vigorously on migration issues.
The upcoming elections in Brandenburg, where immigration is a primary concern, will serve as a critical test for Scholz’s center-left Social Democrats. The outcome could influence their standing ahead of next year’s federal elections.
Marcus Engler from the German Centre for Integration and Migration Research suggested that the government’s measures might be intended to symbolically signal to both Germans and potential migrants that the country is closing its doors.
The tighter border controls may strain European unity, potentially leading Germany to request that other EU nations accept a larger share of asylum seekers and migrants. According to EU regulations, Schengen area countries can only impose border checks as a last resort to address significant threats to internal security or public policy.
Austria’s Interior Minister Gerhard Karner has already declared that Austria will not accept migrants turned away by Germany.
While the immediate impact of these new measures on the number of migrants being rejected may be limited, they could result in more returns to other European countries and serve as a deterrent, according to Susan Fratzke of the Migration Policy Institute.
Government statistics reveal a 21.7% decrease in asylum applications in Germany during the first eight months of the year.
