The Minister-President of Saarland, Anke Rehlinger of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), has criticized Union Chancellor candidate Friedrich Merz of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) for his plans on migration and asylum policy. Rehlinger stated in an interview with the “Stern”that “we need a common European asylum policy, not a solo effort that only focuses on exclusion and deportation.”
According to Rehlinger, the European Union should find applicable solutions within the new Common European Asylum System and strengthen the external borders of the EU together, rather than making demands within the Schengen Area that could undermine the achievements of a Europe without internal borders.
Merz, the Union’s Chancellor candidate, has announced far-reaching toughening of asylum policies, should he be elected Chancellor. He plans to instruct the Interior Ministry on his first day in office to permanently control all borders. “There will be a de facto entry ban to the Federal Republic of Germany for all those who do not possess valid entry documents or who make use of the European freedom of movement”Merz said, adding that this would also apply to people with a right to protection.
While the Federal Chancellor of Germany has a constitutional right to issue guidelines, the ministerial principle and the collegiate principle also apply, limiting the Chancellor’s authority. The terms “illegal migration””irregular migration”and “undocumented migration”are often used interchangeably. However, most asylum seekers who come to Germany are initially considered “irregularly entered”as they cannot file an asylum application before entering the country. In Germany, they can, however, exercise their right to asylum or the guarantees of the Geneva Refugee Convention and legally submit an asylum application. If their applications are approved, the refugees are considered to be legally residing in the country.