An IMGW News Report
Germany’s incoming coalition, led by the centre-right Christian Democrats (CDU) and their Bavarian sister party (CSU) in tandem with the Social Democrats (SPD), has pledged to uphold internal border checks across the country—a striking departure from the Schengen Area’s ideal of free movement.
Unveiled in a 144-page coalition agreement on April 9th, the policy signals a tougher stance on migration under the stewardship of Friedrich Merz, the chancellor-in-waiting. In a press conference alongside coalition partners, Mr Merz declared the intention to “largely end irregular migration,” outlining plans to continue border controls, intensify deportations, suspend family reunifications, and terminate voluntary admissions.
The pact also sets out to reverse recent liberalisations of Germany’s citizenship rules. The former government had shortened the required residency period to three years for naturalisation. That provision is now to be scrapped, with the threshold reset to five years—signalling a broader retreat from progressive integration policies.
The incoming government also intends to bolster state powers with increased digital surveillance and enhanced police authority, all under the banner of domestic security and migration control.
Germany had already reinstated checks at all its borders in September 2024 in response to growing concerns over illegal crossings, especially from neighbouring Schengen states. Initially set to expire in March 2025, these measures were extended by Chancellor Olaf Scholz through to September. Federal police, Interior Minister Nancy Faeser insisted, would persist with nationwide border checks, arguing the move remains compliant with EU law and continues to yield results.
Yet not all are convinced. Luxembourg’s Interior Minister, Léon Gloden, recently criticised Germany’s approach as both harmful and ineffective, suggesting it hampers cross-border cooperation without meaningfully addressing root causes.
The German electorate’s shift to the right on migration policy is now being institutionalised. For critics, the persistence of internal controls may undermine Schengen’s integrity. For supporters, it is a necessary step to restore order at Europe’s borders. Either way, the message from Berlin is unambiguous: Germany is not in the mood for leniency.
