German Chancellor Candidate Friedrich Merz’s Demand for Permanent Border Closures Raises Concerns in Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony’s Minister President Stephan Weil, of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), believes that punctual border controls are necessary, but has expressed reservations about the long-term effects of permanent border closures.
In an interview with Ippen-Media, Weil addressed the potential consequences of permanent border closures, as demanded by the Union’s Chancellor candidate Friedrich Merz, for Lower Saxony. “I had a conversation with the new Dutch Ambassador just yesterday. We have a very good neighborhood. I hope this friendship would not be put at risk” Weil said. However, the daily lives of many commuters would be significantly affected in the long run.
According to Weil, around 250 people have been removed from the traffic flow since the introduction of punctual border controls a few months ago, as they attempted to illegally cross the Dutch-German border into Germany. “I accept that punctual border closures are a sensible and necessary measure at the moment. However, I do not want to imagine that we would return to border controls at all borders for good. That would be a step back of thirty years” Weil emphasized.