German border controls: what do the neighbours have to say?

The Süddeutsche Zeitung criticises the German government for taking action without consulting its partners:

“No special council of interior ministers was convened, there was no meeting between the German interior minister or the German chancellor and their neighbours. Yet Europe has rarely had such a favourable opportunity to develop a common stance on migration, the problem of the century. However whether a European policy in line with the EU's humanitarian and constitutional standards can emerge will not be decided at the barriers in Kehl, Freilassing or Guben. Europe can only resolve this together.”

Immigration is now an explosive issue in Germany too, law professors Anne Jacquemet-Gauché and Nils Schaks write in Le Monde:

“Current developments in Germany show that there is no magic solution when it comes to immigration policy. ... If a more open debate on the success of immigration had taken place in Germany, one that took account of society's needs, such a drastic change of course may not have been necessary. This change, which appears neither entirely credible nor realistic, ultimately only serves to strengthen the far right. The days of the optimistic slogan 'We can do it!' are over, and the country is worried about how to meet the challenge of immigration.”

The pro-government news website Liberal fumes about the additional pressure on Greece:

“It seems that Germany is treating us much like Britain treats Rwanda, where it wants to send immigrants (a plan that is not going very well), or even like Italy treats Albania, to which it plans to export immigrants! Consequently, to avoid political suicide Scholz's unstable coalition is making the Greek government jump through hoops. ... With their hegemonic mentality, the Germans want to export their problem to countries they consider to be of secondary importance and susceptible to their influence, while at the same time trying to preserve a semblance of humanity.”

Germany wants to reintroduce border controls and the far-right governing party PVV in the Netherlands wants to follow suit. A panic reaction, Trouw sighs:

“The government in Berlin is shocked by the recent major success of the xenophobic, far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) in elections in eastern Germany. Two terrorist attacks were apparently enough to prompt it to close its borders. The enthusiasm with which this decision was received in the Netherlands is also worrying. ... Particularly for an open economy like the Netherlands, border controls are a heavy blow. And as Brexit has shown, they don't curb immigration either.”

The EU leaders are panicking, Le Soir criticises:

“With governments like this, there's no need for the far right to be in power: the leaders of the AfD were quick to make fun of the democrats who are finally implementing the policies 'that we've been calling for for the past decade'. As for the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum - which is far from perfect but nevertheless regulates the fair redistribution of refugees among host countries - it was demolished as soon as it was agreed upon. The pressure of elections and the fear of extremes are causing those in power to run around like headless chickens, with migrants as the only means for decompression.”

Uncontrolled migration could tear the EU apart, Die Presse warns:

“Germany has played along for years as a model European state. But now it has reached its limit. The Solingen terrorist attack marks a profound turning point in the Federal Republic of Germany. ... If Germany shuts down or sets up revolving doors for migrants directly at the border with efficient ultra-fast procedures, a domino effect can be expected that could reach all the way to the EU's external border. ... If Germany were to slyly disregard EU law, the price would be high: then everyone would do as they please. But waiting until the far right governs the whole of Europe is not an option either. Something has to be done. Irregular migration is overwhelming Europe's societies.”

The taz fears a domino effect:

“No other issue has such a short fuse. Last year Austria accepted more than 12,000 rejected refugees from Germany, more or less without complaint. Now, in the run-up to Austria's legislative elections, following the bluster from Berlin this is supposed to come to an end. And then what? Other countries are likely to follow suit. The result could be a cascade of border closures and denied entries, right up to the EU's external borders, where chaos will certainly ensue and resentment towards the EU partners will continue to grow. ... If tensions in the EU continue to escalate over the refugee issue, this will unquestionably further weaken the EU. The timing could hardly be worse.”

Tygodnik Powszechny writes:

“The foundations of the policy pursued by Angela Merkel over the last 20 years lie in ruins. Relations with Russia were terminated on the day the Russians marched into Ukraine. Today Friedrich Merz, the current leader of the CDU, wants to close the borders that Merkel opened wide in 2015. And the bad news from VW is forcing us to ask probing questions about the German economic model. But the problems Germany is facing are also problems for the entire continent. They are the problems of the Polish borders, which are affected by any change in migration policy in Berlin. They are the problems of Polish subcontractors and factories that live off orders from German companies. They are the problems of Polish military strategy, should the Germans begin to withdraw their support for Kyiv.”

The Danish government has repeatedly imposed border controls in recent years citing various reasons. The German decision will cement this policy, the Nordschleswiger fears:

“Officially the announced German border controls are also temporary, but ultimately the announcement means the end of free travel across the European Union. ... And from now on governments will say: well, Germany controls its borders too. ... No doubt some of the border controls won't be extended, but there will certainly be controls in some places - and at the German-Danish border, at least from the Danish side, they will continue for the foreseeable future.”

Border controls still don't go far enough, in Neue Zürcher Zeitung's opinion:

“Germany needs to massively increase deportations and, to this end, up the diplomatic pressure on countries that are uncooperative over taking back their citizens. Although recent figures are moving in the right direction, they are still far from sufficient. Furthermore, foreigners who are obliged to leave the country should no longer receive government benefits or if they do, then only the mandatory minimum. Above all, however, the government in Berlin should be prepared to push for a reform of the individual right to asylum at the European level. It originated in a different era. Today it is a threat to the state - not only, but especially in Germany.”