Germany Expands Border Controls to Curb Irregular Migration and Extremism Risks

09 September 2024, Berlin: Nancy Faeser, Germany's Minister of the Interior and Home Affairs, speaks at a press conference on current measures in migration policy and the Federal Government's security package at the Federal Ministry of the Interior. (dpa)
09 September 2024, Berlin: Nancy Faeser, Germany's Minister of the Interior and Home Affairs, speaks at a press conference on current measures in migration policy and the Federal Government's security package at the Federal Ministry of the Interior. (dpa)
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Germany Expands Border Controls to Curb Irregular Migration and Extremism Risks

09 September 2024, Berlin: Nancy Faeser, Germany's Minister of the Interior and Home Affairs, speaks at a press conference on current measures in migration policy and the Federal Government's security package at the Federal Ministry of the Interior. (dpa)
09 September 2024, Berlin: Nancy Faeser, Germany's Minister of the Interior and Home Affairs, speaks at a press conference on current measures in migration policy and the Federal Government's security package at the Federal Ministry of the Interior. (dpa)

Germany's government ordered temporary controls at all land borders Monday, expanding checks it already has in place at some borders, saying that it was responding to irregular migration and to protect the country from extremist threats.

“We are strengthening our internal security through concrete action and we are continuing our tough stance against irregular migration,” Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said at a news conference.

The ministry said that it notified the European Union on Monday of the order to set up border controls at the land borders with France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark for a period of six months. They will begin next week on Sept. 16.

This adds to restrictions already in place on the land borders with Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria and Switzerland.

“Until we achieve strong protection of the EU’s external borders with the new Common European Asylum System, we must increase controls at our national borders even more,” Faeser said.

She noted that Germany already has had more than 30,000 rejections of people seeking to cross its borders since last October.

“This served to further limit irregular migration and to protect against the acute dangers posed by terrorism and serious crime. We are doing everything we can to better protect people in our country against this,” she said.

The order comes as coalition government of Chancellor Olaf Scholz is facing pressure to take a tougher stance on irregular migration.

Last month, a deadly knife attack in Soligen killed three people. The perpetrator was a Syrian asylum-seeker who claimed to be inspired by the ISIS group.

Even more recently, police in Munich exchanged fire with a gunman near the Israeli Consulate last week, fatally wounding him. Authorities said they believe he was planning to attack the consulate on the 52nd anniversary of the attack on the 1972 Munich Olympics.

Germany has accepted large numbers of refugees from the Middle East over the past decade, but now a political backlash is building, with support growing for a far-right party. That party, Alternative for Germany, won its first state election earlier this month in Thuringia and had a strong showing in another state, Saxony.

In June, Scholz vowed that the country would start deporting criminals from Afghanistan and Syria again after a knife attack by an Afghan immigrant left one police officer dead and four other people wounded.

Germany deported Afghan nationals to their homeland on Aug. 30, the first time it did so since August 2021, when the Taliban returned to power. The government described the 28 Afghan nationals as convicted criminals, but didn't clarify what their offenses were.

The number of people applying for asylum in Germany last year rose to more than 350,000, an increase of just over 50% compared with the year before. The largest number of asylum-seekers came from Syria, followed by Turks and Afghans.



Macron to Raise Defense Targets, Citing Russia Threat

French President Emmanuel Macron looks on before a meeting with New Caledonia's elected officials and state representatives at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, 12 July 2025.  EPA/TOM NICHOLSON / POOL  MAXPPP OUT
French President Emmanuel Macron looks on before a meeting with New Caledonia's elected officials and state representatives at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, 12 July 2025. EPA/TOM NICHOLSON / POOL MAXPPP OUT
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Macron to Raise Defense Targets, Citing Russia Threat

French President Emmanuel Macron looks on before a meeting with New Caledonia's elected officials and state representatives at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, 12 July 2025.  EPA/TOM NICHOLSON / POOL  MAXPPP OUT
French President Emmanuel Macron looks on before a meeting with New Caledonia's elected officials and state representatives at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, 12 July 2025. EPA/TOM NICHOLSON / POOL MAXPPP OUT

President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday called for a massive boost to France's defense spending, saying freedom in Europe was facing a greater threat than at any time since the end of World War II.

"We are living a pivotal moment," Macron said in a speech to the armed forces on the eve of the national Bastille Day holiday, denouncing "imperialist policies", "annexing powers" and the notion that "might is right", all a reference to Russia, AFP said.

"Never has peace on our continent depended to such an extent on the decisions that we take now," said Macron.

France faced the challenge "of remaining free and masters of our destiny", he added.

Macron said France's defense budget should rise by 3.5 billion euros ($4.1 billion) in 2026, and then by a further three billion euros in 2027.

'Present at their battle stations'

"If you want to be feared, you must be powerful," he said, calling for "mobilization" for national defense by all government departments.

"Everyone must be present at their battle stations," Macron said.

"We are still ahead, but if we remain at the same speed we will be overtaken tomorrow," he added.

French military and security officials have been warning of global threats weighing on France, with Defense Chief of Staff Chief Thierry Burkhard saying on Friday that Russia posed a "durable" threat to Europe and that the "rank of European countries in tomorrow's world" was being decided in Ukraine, invaded by Russia in 2022.

Russia currently views France as its "main adversary in Europe", Burkhard said.

He also warned of the consequences of a diminished US commitment to Europe, along with cyber threats, disinformation campaigns and the risk of terror attacks.

"We have to take account of the fact that there has been a change in strategic parameters," he said.

On Sunday, Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu weighed in, telling the La Tribune weekly newspaper that "it's our job to provide answers".

France needed to make "a new effort" if it wanted to "depend on nobody" in the future, the minister said.

France's defense budget has already increased sharply since Macron took power, rising from 32.2 billion euros ($37.6 billion at current rates) in 2017 to 50.5 billion currently, and is projected to reach 67 billion euros in 2030.

'Sacrosanct' defense budget

If confirmed, the major defense spending boost could, however, threaten French efforts to cut deficits and reduce its debt mountain, amid pressure from the EU Commission on Paris to impose more fiscal discipline.

The servicing of France's debt alone will cost the Treasury 62 billion euros this year.

But Prime Minister Francois Bayrou, who on Tuesday is to outline his budget plan for 2026, has declared the defense budget to be "sacrosanct" and exempt from budgetary cuts.

In Sunday's speech, Macron rejected any financing of the additional defense spending through additional debt.

Several NATO countries are boosting their military spending, after the alliance's members agreed last month to spend five percent of their gross domestic product (GDP) on security.

Britain aims to increase its defense budget to 2.5 percent of GDP by 2027, and to 3.0 percent after 2029. Germany plans to reach a defense budget of 162 billion euros by 2029, equivalent to 3.5 percent of its GDP, while Poland already dedicates 4.7 percent of GDP to defense.

"Very clearly, we need to revise our programming and strategy today, in light of the changing nature of risks," Macron said on Thursday.

Lecornu this month detailed the most urgent needs for the French armed forces, including ground-to-air defenses, ammunition, electronic warfare and space capabilities.

In Sunday's interview, he said France was mostly worried about falling behind in "disruptive technologies" including artificial intelligence and quantum technology.

Beyond budget increases, the French government is also seeking to boost "national cohesion" in the face of global crises, Elysee officials said.

Macron is expected to outline a potential mobilization drive for young people who should be given "an opportunity to serve", Elysee officials said.