Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel has expressed a grim forecast regarding the future of the European Union, stating that tighter national immigration and border policies could seriously threaten the bloc’s survival. Merkel made these remarks during the presentation of her memoir, titled “Freedom,” commenting specifically on recent moves by Berlin to limit the influx of asylum seekers.
“I do not believe that we can decisively combat illegal migration at the German-Austrian or German-Polish border… I have always been in favor of European solutions,” Merkel said, referring to the measures recently approved by Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s cabinet.
The new measures, introduced by the German Interior Minister earlier in May, effectively prohibit asylum applications at all of Germany’s land borders, with exceptions only for children, pregnant women, and other vulnerable categories. This marks a significant departure from the open-door policy of 2015, which was implemented under Merkel’s leadership, during which over a million refugees entered Germany during the migrant crisis.
Merkel assessed that this decision calls into question the freedom of movement within the EU and the stability of the Schengen area, which allows visa-free travel across most member states. “If this practice continues, we could witness the unraveling of Europe,” the former Chancellor warned.
Merkel’s open-door policy in 2015 faced considerable criticism. Today, Germany remains the primary destination for asylum seekers within the EU, with over 237,000 applications submitted in 2023 alone, accounting for a quarter of the total across the Union.
Current Chancellor Friedrich Merz pledged to tighten border controls during the campaign leading up to the snap elections in February, at a time when the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has seen a significant surge in support for its anti-immigration policies.
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