Merz demands asylum halt for Syrians & Afghans, tighter borders

CDU leader Friedrich Merz has sharply criticized Chancellor Olaf Scholz, accusing him of not doing enough to address the growing knife violence in Germany. Merz has called for an immediate halt to asylum applications from refugees from Syria and Afghanistan, while Union Deputy Chairman Jens Spahn advocates for even more stringent measures.

Merz: “Enough is enough”

In one of the most forceful political statements regarding the recent knife attack in Solingen, CDU leader Friedrich Merz declared “Enough is enough!” in a message to his supporters, which the CDU published on its party website on Sunday. In this message, Merz strongly criticizes the migration policies of the current coalition government and urges Chancellor Olaf Scholz to take decisive action to protect the German people.

“The attack is part of a series of knife assaults that have claimed many lives in Germany in recent months,” Merz writes. He points out that the coalition has been debating stricter gun laws and a knife ban for weeks. “After the terrorist act in Solingen, it should now be clear: It’s not the knives that are the problem, but the people carrying them.” According to Merz, in most cases, these are refugees, often with Islamist motives behind their actions.

Merz argues that visits to crime scenes, expressions of sympathy, and threats of punishment are necessary but no longer sufficient. He notes that even an appeal by former President Joachim Gauck has gone unheard. The CDU, Merz says, has repeatedly offered joint solutions to the coalition over the past two years, all of which were rejected. Now, the responsibility lies with Chancellor Scholz.

“I urge you to work with us quickly and without further delay to make decisions that are consistently aimed at preventing further terrorist attacks like the one last Friday in our country,” Merz writes. He calls for deportations to Syria and Afghanistan, as well as a halt to accepting refugees from these countries. “We will no longer accept refugees from these countries.”

Merz calls for Denmark-style asylum policy

Merz further suggests that any recognized refugee from Germany who travels to their home country should lose their residency status. Recent investigations by RTL revealed that Afghan refugees had temporarily returned to their homeland without the authorities’ knowledge.

Additionally, Merz proposes making the current temporary border controls permanent and enforcing the existing Dublin rules, which require asylum seekers to file their applications in the first EU country they enter. For deportable criminals, Merz suggests indefinite detention.

Merz concludes by advising Scholz on how to implement a more restrictive asylum and migration policy within the SPD. “Invite Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, whom you know well. The Social Democratic government in Denmark has successfully pursued such a foreigner policy for years, effectively sidelining right-wing extremists.”

Merz also suggests that if the Greens or FDP obstruct this development, Scholz should use his executive authority and allow a free vote on the laws in the Bundestag. He signals that the Union would support potential tightening of asylum laws.

“We do not seek participation in your government or any positions; we want you to fulfill your oath of office and protect the German people from harm. You have a majority in the Bundestag with us – if you still have the strength to make such a decision,” the message concludes.

Söder and other Union politicians push for stricter measures

Other Union politicians also pressured the federal government on Sunday. CSU leader Markus Söder called for random police checks, particularly in pedestrian zones. “We do not have the right tools to respond to and address violence,” Söder said in an interview with ARD’s “Sommerinterview,” according to a preliminary report. “You are randomly checked when driving a car; this should also apply in pedestrian zones,” he added.

Söder also supported the demand for deportations of rejected asylum seekers to Syria and Afghanistan. “Someone who resists deportation must be placed in detention and then deported. And this must finally happen again, even to Syria and Afghanistan,” he said.

Wüst calls for an investigation into the authorities

Meanwhile, NRW Minister-President Hendrik Wüst (CDU) calls for an investigation within the authorities. “There are a lot of questions. Many agencies are involved, and this needs to be clarified. If something went wrong, there needs to be accountability,” Wüst said in an interview with WDR’s “Aktuelle Stunde.”

As became known on Sunday, the suspect was supposed to have been deported to Bulgaria last year after his asylum application was rejected. The Syrian had entered the European Union via Bulgaria.

In ZDF’s “heute journal,” Wüst said, “If something went wrong somewhere, at whichever authority, whether locally in Bielefeld, Paderborn, or at the state or federal level, the truth must come out.” He stressed that many agencies were involved under the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees’ responsibility. “I want to know what went wrong if something went wrong,” Wüst said.

Earlier in the afternoon, Wüst had stated that there were still unresolved questions regarding the suspect’s residency status. In an interview with WDR, he said it was unclear why the Federal Office had not exerted more pressure to deport the suspect to Bulgaria.

Wüst also supported Merz’s call for a general halt to accepting refugees from Syria and Afghanistan. “Yes, I think that’s right. I said months ago that we would not be able to solve the issue of migration and refugees in the offices of district immigration authorities,” Wüst said. The complexity of the situation now confirms this. “People appreciate the Chancellor’s bold announcements about large-scale deportations. But now, something needs to happen,” he added.

Spahn calls for border closures

Union Deputy Chairman Jens Spahn (CDU) takes the demands even further, calling for border closures to prevent irregular migration. “Every day for years, hundreds of young men from Syria and Afghanistan have been coming to Germany and Europe. This must finally end,” Spahn told the “Rheinische Post.”

The Solingen attack painfully underscores “the consequences of this loss of control,” Spahn said. “Germany’s borders must be closed to irregular migration.”

Thorsten Frei (CDU), Parliamentary Managing Director of the Union’s parliamentary group in the Bundestag, demanded a special session of the Interior Committee by Wednesday at the latest in a letter to Bundestag President Bärbel Bas (SPD). There, Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) is expected to provide a report.

Alexander Throm (CDU), the Union’s spokesperson for interior affairs, called for a stricter asylum policy and a “rigorous counterterrorism” strategy in light of the events in Solingen. This includes strengthening intelligence agencies with additional powers, such as data retention.