Following Friday’s deadly knife attack in Solingen, in which a Syrian man was arrested as a suspect, CDU leader Friedrich Merz has called for immediate changes to Germany’s migration policy. Merz is calling for an immediate halt to the admission of refugees from Syria and Afghanistan, arguing that this is necessary to prevent future terrorist attacks.
In his latest newsletter “MerzMail”, CDU party leader Friedrich Merz appeals to Chancellor Olaf Scholz to act quickly and decisively to prevent further acts of violence in the country.
– The problem isn’t the knives, but the people who carry them, writes Merz, pointing out that most of these crimes “are committed by refugees with Islamist motives”.
Jetzt versucht Merz für die CDU kurz vor den Landtagswahlen zu retten, was zu retten ist. Aber er ist zu häufig mit wetterwendischen Worten und Handlungen aufgefallen … https://t.co/N0iwhMSxQ5
— Der Physiker 🇮🇱 (@DerPhysiker21) August 25, 2024
(“Now Merz is trying to save what can be saved for the CDU shortly before the state elections. But he has too often attracted attention with fickle words and actions…)
Immediate asylum stop
The 26-year-old Syrian suspect arrived in Germany in late 2022 and applied for asylum. In the wake of the deadly violence, Merz argues that people from Syria and Afghanistan should no longer be admitted to the country. He also proposes that refugees who return to their home countries should immediately lose their asylum status in Germany.
Friedrich Merz stresses the importance of being able to deport people to Syria and Afghanistan despite the current diplomatic obstacles. He also wants to reintroduce the so-called Dublin Regulation. Under this regulation, an asylum seeker’s application is examined in the first EU country where they arrive.
Mr. Merz also calls for permanent border controls and the indefinite detention of those ordered to leave the country until their deportation can be enforced. He also criticizes the new citizenship law, which allows dual citizenship and expedited naturalization, and says these rules should be repealed immediately.
„Wer als Flüchtling in sein Heimatland reist, verliert umgehend jeden Aufenthaltsstatus. Wir kontrollieren dauerhaft die Grenzen und setzen die Dublin-Verordnungen wieder in Kraft. Wir nehmen ausreisepflichtige Straftäter zeitlich unbegrenzt in Abschiebegewahrsam.“ ™ #MerzMail
— Friedrich Merz (@_FriedrichMerz) August 25, 2024
(“I call on #Scholz to join us in making quick decisions that are consistently aimed at preventing further terrorist attacks. Deportations can take place after #Syrien and #Afghanistan , but we will not accept any more refugees from there”.)
(“Anyone who travels to their home country as a refugee immediately loses all residence status. We permanently control the borders and reinstate the Dublin regulations. We take criminals who are required to leave the country into deportation custody for an unlimited period of time”.)
CSU politicians give support
CSU politician Alexander Dobrindt also supports Merz’s demands, stressing that Germany’s security interests must come first.
– The security interests of our society must have the highest priority and not the protection of criminals and dangerous individuals, Dobrindt said, adding that if the current government does not have the strength to implement the necessary changes, “the opposition is ready to secure parliamentary majorities to push through these decisions”.
The CSU has presented a “5-point plan” for a tougher migration policy, emphasizing calls for consistent deportations, passport revocations and detention of deportable criminals. The plan reflects the party’s position that Germany needs to get tougher on migration and asylum issues to ensure national security.
It should be noted that German immigration policies, even under the rule of the CDU and former Chancellor Angela Merkel, have been among the most open and generous in all of Europe. Today, an estimated 25 million people living in Germany were born abroad or have at least one foreign-born parent.
