Friedrich Merz has vowed to suspend family reunifications for many migrants, designate more safe countries of origin, and launch a return offensive for rejected asylum seekers.
Germany is set to turn asylum seekers away at its borders (Image: GETTY )
Germany has announced it will turn asylum seekers away from its borders as part of a raft of new measures to curb illegal migration agreed by the nation’s incoming coalition government. The new rules will see asylum seekers refused entry at Germany’s land borders.
It comes as Germany’s incoming chancellor, Friedrich Merz, promised a “repatriation offensive” against illegal immigrants. The coalition deal, finalised this week, includes a raft of pledges aimed at restoring economic confidence, boosting defence spending and tightening immigration controls. Mr Merz said: “Germany will suspend family reunifications for many migrants, designate more ‘safe countries of origin’, and launch a return offensive for rejected asylum seekers.”
Friedrich Merz is set to be Germany’s new Chancellor (Image: Getty)
In a highly significant move, he confirmed the country will also start turning people back at its borders – in coordination with neighbouring states.
Berlin appears poised to act swiftly under a broad-ranging deal that still requires final approval by party members.
The coalition will also roll back parts of Germany’s recent citizenship law reform, scrapping the option for some applicants to fast-track naturalisation after just three years.
Before Merz can take the helm, the coalition deal needs approval in a ballot of the Social Democrats’ membership and by a convention on April 28 of Merz’s Christian Democratic Union party.
Britain continues to wrestle with a migrant crisis of its own (Image: Getty)
Once those hurdles are cleared, the lower house of parliament — in which the allies have 328 of the 630 seats — can elect him as Chancellor.
Mr Merz said the deal is “a very strong and clear signal to the people of our country, and also a clear signal to our partners in the European Union: Germany is getting a government that is capable of acting and will act strongly.”
Alongside the new migration strategy, Mr Merz aims to revitalise the EU’s largest economy.
He plans to incentivise investment, reduce the size of the federal administration, and slash taxes on electricity and corporate profits. He also committed to meeting NATO’s defence spending target, promising to strengthen Germany’s commitment to its allies.
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German Parties CDU/CSU and SPD announce their coalition agreement (Image: Getty)
Mr Merz said: “Germany is back on track. We will bring the European Union forward.”
The United Kingdom continues to face significant challenges concerning migrant arrivals, particularly across the English Channel.
In the first quarter of 2025, provisional Home Office figures recorded 5,847 such arrivals, surpassing the 5,435 documented during the same period in 2024.
An increase of approximately 36% compared to the previous year underscores the persistent nature of the issue.
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