Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced a six-month extension of border controls amid rising migration concerns, impacting Germany’s federal elections. The AfD party, gaining popularity, is actively engaging with Hungary’s PM Orban, discussing shared views on immigration. This political climate indicates the pivotal role of migration in the upcoming elections.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has announced that border controls will be extended for an additional six months, following their scheduled expiration in March. This decision comes just weeks before the federal elections on February 23, with migration issues prominently featured in the campaign. Since the implementation of these controls in September, approximately 47,000 individuals have been turned back at the borders, alongside 1,900 arrests of people smugglers. Notably, asylum applications in Germany fell by one-third in 2024 compared to the previous year.
The extension means that the controls will be maintained until mid-September 2025. Scholz’s party, the Social Democrats (SPD), faces criticism for their migration management amidst concerns following violent incidents attributed to migrants. Polling results indicate that the SPD is currently positioned third with around 16%, potentially facing the worst election outcome in its history.
The conservative CDU/CSU bloc is leading in the polls and advocates for stricter measures against irregular migration as a central element of their election strategy. In parallel, Alice Weidel, co-leader of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), is meeting with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in Budapest, discussing the ongoing European migration crisis and shared hardline immigration policies.
This visit is notable as it marks the first occasion that a German far-right leader has been hosted by Orban, who seeks to unify right-wing parties in Europe under the Patriots for Europe group. The political atmosphere in Germany intensifies as party campaigns advance towards the federal election.
In summary, the extension of border controls by Chancellor Scholz highlights the issues surrounding migration as a pivotal topic in the lead-up to the German federal elections. The far-right AfD party is gaining traction, as reflected in their polling numbers. The meeting between Weidel and Orban underscores the significance of immigration policies in shaping European political alliances, particularly among right-wing factions.
Original Source: www.dw.com
