14th December, 2024
Friedrich Merz, the leader of Germany’s conservative party and front-runner to be the country’s next chancellor, wants stricter controls at European borders to prevent supporters of the deposed Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad from entering.
“We Europeans must now quickly ensure together that the accomplices of the Assad regime from the second and third ranks do not come to Europe and Germany unnoticed as asylum seekers,” the Christian Democratic Union (CDU)’s chancellor candidate told the Rheinische Post newspaper in an interview published on Friday.
He said the European Union must now very strictly control its external borders and lobbied for rejecting people at Germany’s borders.
“We need a stricter border regime, which we will also enforce after the election,” said Merz. An election is expected on February 23
In response to the question of how to deal with Syrians who came to Germany years ago, Merz said: “There will be many who want to return to their homeland willingly and voluntarily.
Many will also stay because they work here and are now German citizens.”
Those who do not wish to integrate should return when their protection status ceases, he added.
Christian Dürr, the chairman of the pro-business Free Democratic Party’s parliamentary group, outlined three measures necessary in dealing with Syrians in Germany.
“Firstly: Anyone who can support themselves and has become part of our society should be given a perspective to stay,” Durr said.
He stated that those who do not want to work or integrate should leave the country.
“And thirdly, in this context, we must of course end family reunification,” he added.
Current Chancellor Olaf Scholz, a Social Democrat, had previously repeated that well-integrated Syrians in Germany would not be sent back.
(dpa/NAN)
