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BERLIN — The leader of Germany’s opposition has pledged to prevent entry to individuals without proper documentation and enhance deportations if he wins the chancellorship in the upcoming election next month. This commitment comes in the wake of a tragic stabbing incident involving an asylum-seeker, which has become a focal point in the electoral campaign where he currently leads in polls.
In a harrowing incident on Wednesday in the Bavarian town of Aschaffenburg, two individuals, including a toddler, lost their lives, and three more sustained injuries. The perpetrator, a 28-year-old Afghan man with a history of mental health issues and prior violent behavior, was taken into custody shortly after the event. Notably, he had expressed intentions to leave Germany voluntarily over a month prior.
His asylum request was rejected earlier in 2023, and officials noted that authorities failed to deport him back to Bulgaria, the initial entry point into the EU, with Bavarian officials highlighting lapses at the federal migration office.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz, whose center-left party is trailing in pre-election polls ahead of the February 23 elections, held discussions with heads of Germany’s security services and stated that they would take “necessary consequences” immediately.
On Thursday, Scholz redirected blame towards the opposition-led Bavaria, asserting that there were “shortcomings” in the region’s enforcement of existing laws, which his federal government has already tightened. He reassured that his administration would maintain its stance on reducing irregular migration and boosting deportation efforts.
Friedrich Merz, the leader of the center-right Union bloc, which is currently leading in polls, amplified his party’s promises to reform immigration policies. He criticized a decade-long trend of misguided asylum and immigration policies stretching back to the era of former Chancellor Angela Merkel, who permitted a significant influx of migrants into the country.
Merz declared that if he were to become chancellor, he would mandate the Interior Ministry on his first day to ensure rigorous control of Germany’s borders and eliminate all illegal crossings without exception. He opined that EU regulations are “recognizably dysfunctional” and emphasized that Germany must prioritize its national laws.
Moreover, he asserted that individuals obligated to leave must not be released if apprehended by law enforcement but instead should be detained and deported swiftly, contingent on bolstering detention facilities.
Merz acknowledged the potential necessity of forging a coalition with center-left parties if he wishes to assume the chancellorship, standing firm that “compromises are no longer possible on these issues.”
The current government has already introduced temporary border controls across Germany. Interior Minister Nancy Faeser remarked that the administration has “massively tightened laws,” facilitating the deportation processes and referenced an impending agreement on overhauled EU migration protocols.
In response to Merz’s commitment to disallow all irregular entries, Faeser expressed skepticism regarding its feasibility under EU law, questioning the implications of utilizing severe criminal incidents for political gain and emphasizing the importance of maintaining public trust.
The attack in Aschaffenburg echoes previous knife assaults in Mannheim and Solingen, where the accused were immigrants from Afghanistan and Syria, respectively. Notably, in Solingen, the attacker was also a rejected asylum-seeker. Recent attacks, including a car incident at a Christmas market in Magdeburg, involved suspects who had previously drawn attention from various authorities.
Mainstream political groups are grappling with the rising popularity of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), which stands at approximately 20% in recent polls and is positioned as the second-largest party, despite all mainstream parties ruling out alliances post-election. The AfD’s support primarily stems from widespread dissatisfaction concerning migration policies.
Alice Weidel, the AfD’s chancellor candidate, called on the outgoing parliament to vote on border closures and the repulsion of irregular migrants in the upcoming week.
Faeser stated that the government has made considerable strides in reducing irregular migration, reporting that 229,751 people applied for asylum in Germany last year—reflecting a 30% decline compared to the previous year. Furthermore, the first 11 months of the prior year saw 18,384 deportations, surpassing the total of 16,430 in the entirety of 2022.
Critics from the opposition have raised concerns regarding the cessation of deportations to Afghanistan since an initial flight in August, to which Faeser responded, affirming that efforts are underway to expedite the deportation of more criminals back to Afghanistan.
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