The former German chancellor believes the EU won’t survive without open borders
Tighter national migration and border control policies could spell doom for the European Union, former German Chancellor Angela Merkel has warned, following Berlin’s recent move to curb the influx of asylum seekers.
Merkel made the remarks at the ‘Southwestern Press Forum’ event in Neu-Ulm last week, where she appeared to present her memoir, Freedom.
“I do not believe we can decisively combat illegal migration at the German-Austrian or German-Polish border… I have always advocated European solutions,” Merkel said when asked about the latest measures adopted by Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s cabinet.
The new policies, introduced earlier this month by Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt, prohibit asylum applications at all German land borders – marking a sharp reversal of Merkel’s 2015 open-border stance. Exceptions are made for children, pregnant women, and other vulnerable individuals.
According to Merkel, the move threatens both freedom of movement within the EU and the integrity of the Schengen zone, which allows visa-free travel across most of the bloc. She insisted that any immigration and travel reforms should be agreed upon at the EU level.
“Otherwise, we could see Europe destroyed,” she warned.
Merkel’s open-door policy in 2015 was met with fierce political backlash, with critics branding it “disastrous” after more than a million migrants were allowed into Germany during the peak of the 2015–16 refugee crisis.
Germany remains the EU’s top destination for asylum seekers. In 2023, it received over 237,000 asylum applications – roughly a quarter of the bloc’s total, according to EU statistics.
Merz had pledged to tighten border controls during his campaign ahead of February’s snap elections, amid surging public support for the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD), known for its hardline anti-immigration stance.
The AfD ultimately secured second place with 20.8% of the national vote but was excluded from coalition talks and government formation by mainstream parties. Earlier this month, Germany’s domestic intelligence agency (BfV) officially designated the AfD a “confirmed extremist entity.” The classification was temporarily suspended following legal challenges and mounting public backlash, but senior officials – including members of the ruling coalition – have continued to seek legal grounds to pursue a formal ban on the party.
Earlier this week, German police warned that officers may only be able to enforce the new regulations for “a few more weeks” due to mounting pressure on personnel deployed at the borders. This comes despite the government deploying an additional 3,000 officers to support the 11,000 already stationed at key crossings.
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