Ex-German chancellor warns Europe will be ‘destroyed’
(MENAFN)
Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel has cautioned that stricter national immigration and border policies could lead to the disintegration of the European Union. Her remarks came during an appearance at the Southwestern Press Forum in Neu-Ulm, where she discussed her new memoir, Freedom.
Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel has cautioned that stricter national immigration and border policies could lead to the disintegration of the European Union. Her remarks came during an appearance at the Southwestern Press Forum in Neu-Ulm, where she discussed her new memoir, Freedom.
Merkel criticized the recent migration measures adopted by Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s administration, which include a ban on asylum applications at Germany’s land borders. She emphasized that such unilateral moves undermine EU-wide solutions and threaten the Schengen zone’s principle of free movement.
“I don’t think we can effectively combat illegal immigration just at the German-Austrian or German-Polish borders,” Merkel stated. “I’ve always supported collective European responses. Otherwise, we could witness the collapse of Europe.”
The new policy, introduced by Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt, represents a significant shift from Merkel’s 2015 open-border stance. While the ban makes exceptions for vulnerable individuals such as children and pregnant women, it has raised concerns about Germany’s commitment to EU integration.
Germany remains the leading EU destination for asylum seekers, receiving over 237,000 applications in 2023—about 25% of the bloc’s total.
The policy shift comes amid growing support for the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, which won 20.8% of the vote in February’s snap elections but was excluded from government formation. The AfD, known for its anti-immigration stance, was recently labeled a “confirmed extremist entity” by the domestic intelligence agency (BfV), though the classification has been temporarily suspended due to legal pushback.
German police have warned that the current border enforcement measures may not be sustainable, even with 3,000 additional officers joining the 11,000 already deployed, citing increasing strain on resources and personnel.
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