Germany Wouldn’t Fly Solo on Tougher EU Immigration

Friedrich Merz, the frontrunner to become the next German Chancellor, has described the European Union’s asylum system as “dysfunctional” and wants to crack down on irregular immigration at the national level. Although opponents worry this would bring Germany into conflict with its neighbors, many EU countries have already hardened their stance on this issue. German-driven change might be more welcome than many anticipate in Berlin.

Merz had originally launched a fairly pedestrian campaign focused on economic rejuvenation in the run-up to the Feb. 23 German elections. But last week’s knife attack in Bavaria — in which a small child and a man who tried to intervene were killed by an asylum seeker from Afghanistan — changed everything. Merz immediately responded with a plan to impose “an effective entry ban” for anyone without valid papers — explicitly including asylum seekers — from day one in office.