The SPD faction in the German Bundestag has rejected the so-called “Border Control Act” proposed by the Union. Sebastian Hartmann, the party’s internal spokesperson, told the Welt newspaper that the CDU/CSU is reintroducing a previously rejected bill, hoping to secure a new majority with the AfD and FDP. This, he said, would be a “fundamental breach in the alliance between the extreme right and the conservatives.”
The SPD’s stance on the bill remains unchanged and the party has ruled out any approval. The proposed law, according to the SPD, is at odds with European law, as it would abolish family reunification in a blanket manner and is also constitutionally questionable in its redefinition of the competencies of state and federal police.
Even if the Bundestag passes the bill on Friday, it may still fail to secure the necessary majority in the Bundesrat. Andreas Bovenschulte, the SPD mayor of Bremen, told the Welt that Bremen would not approve the bill in the Bundesrat, as it would not have the necessary support from the AfD. “The wall stands and I will not give an inch” he said.
The mayor also expressed the expectation that a future federal government would avoid national solo efforts and instead continue the course set by the current government. “We need an effective protection of the external EU borders, a solid, European solution. The laws already passed are showing their effects and we must now consistently implement them. What we do not need are new proposals for national solo efforts, which would lastingly damage the European idea.