Germany Faces Backlash from France Over Asylum Rejections at the Border
France has taken a strong stance against Germany’s recent asylum rejections at the border, refusing to accept the situation without a response. According to sources in Berlin, the French embassy met with officials in the Interior Ministry and the Foreign Office, requesting a written explanation for the rejections.
German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt had previously claimed to have received widespread support from neighboring countries for the country’s new asylum policy. However, diplomatic sources now reveal that French officials had repeatedly expressed their concerns in person, emphasizing the importance of good coordination, smooth border traffic and respect for European law. Several neighboring countries shared these concerns.
France is seeking clarification on the legal basis for Germany’s actions, as the country’s use of the exceptional clause in Article 72 of the EU’s Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union requires a legally founded proposal for the EU to assess compliance with the treaty. The German Interior Ministry had promised a written explanation to the neighboring countries, but failed to deliver by Thursday, leaving the request from the German newspaper Spiegel unanswered.