Tighter national migration and border control measures could ultimately threaten the existence of the European Union, former German Chancellor Angela Merkel has warned, following Berlin’s recent decision to restrict asylum applications.
Merkel voiced her concerns at the Southwestern Press Forum in Neu-Ulm, where she was promoting her memoir, Freedom.
“I do not believe we can decisively combat illegal migration at the German-Austrian or German-Polish border… I have always advocated European solutions,” Merkel stated when asked about the latest measures introduced by Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s cabinet.
The policy shift, implemented earlier this month by Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt, bars asylum applications at all German land borders—a sharp reversal from Merkel’s 2015 open-border approach. Exceptions apply for children, pregnant women, and other vulnerable individuals.
Merkel warned that the new rules could undermine both freedom of movement and the Schengen Area, which permits passport-free travel across much of the EU.
“Otherwise, we could see Europe destroyed,” she cautioned.
Merkel’s 2015 “open-door” policy sparked significant controversy after Germany admitted more than one million migrants during the height of the 2015–2016 refugee crisis.
Germany remains the top destination for asylum seekers in the EU. In 2023, it received more than 237,000 asylum applications, accounting for nearly 25% of the bloc’s total, according to official EU figures.
Merz had promised to tighten border controls during his campaign for February’s snap elections, as public support surged for the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD), known for its hardline anti-immigration stance.
Although the AfD secured 20.8% of the vote, it was excluded from coalition talks by the major mainstream parties.
Germany’s domestic intelligence agency (BfV) recently classified the AfD as a “confirmed extremist entity.” That designation has been temporarily suspended following legal appeals and public outcry, though some coalition members continue seeking legal grounds to formally ban the party.
Meanwhile, German police have expressed concern that the new border policy may be unsustainable. Despite the deployment of an additional 3,000 officers, rising pressure on the 11,000 border personnel could limit enforcement capability to just “a few more weeks.”
