Markel, coalition party leader agree over refugee policy

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and her administration that faced a crisis of collapse due to her moderate refugee policy are going to escape from the worst situation.

“Sixteen EU countries have agreed to send refugees moved in Europe to the EU country of their first arrival,” said Merkel in a letter to her coalition partners Saturday. Efforts to prevent refugees from entering Germany after arriving in other European country and seeking asylum have partly come to fruition even though she was not able to get an agreement of all 28 EU countries. She had to reach an agreement to prevent second migration of refugees (from other European country to Germany) to maintain coalition with the Christian Social Union (CSU) that has an anti-refugee tendency.

Merkel started a negotiation Saturday with German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer who heads the CSU. “Merkel’s agreement is the right direction for Germany,” said Bavarian CSU premier and an aide of Seehofer Markus Soeder, welcoming her decision. The CSU is likely to maintain its coalition with Merkel.

Anti-refugee sentiment in Europe is so strong that Merkel, an angel of refugees, has agreed to strengthen refugee control. The European Union that had been engaging in an unyielding confrontation reached an agreement in the summit ended on Friday because of the sense of crisis to prevent refugees from entering Europe.

Heads of the European Union have agreed to make entrance of refugees more difficult and exit easier. They have strengthened the EU’s border control and reduce the number of refugees arriving in Europe by supporting refugees’ country of origin. Moreover, they established a refugee control center in each country to streamline the process from refugee application screening to deportation.


Jung-Min Dong ditto@donga.com