Border controls at all of Germany’s external borders will remain in place for another six months, Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced, emphasizing that the goal remains to limit irregular migration.

“Today, we have ordered temporary checks again at all German external borders and informed the European Commission accordingly. We remain committed to the fight against irregular migration,” Scholz said after the cabinet meeting. He added, “With border controls, we are essentially pushing back irregular migration.” He even mentioned 47,000 rejections that have taken place at the borders since September 16, 2024, when the checks were put in place, representing a 1/3 reduction in asylum requests compared to 2023, as well as the capture of 1,900 smugglers and human traffickers.

Regarding the migration policy supported by the leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and chancellor candidate Friedrich Merz, Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser stated, “We are not that far apart,” and noted similarities between the programs of the two parties. “The goal is to limit irregular migration, and from that perspective, we are in full agreement with the CDU,” Faeser said in an interview with Politico. She also agreed with Merz that the Dublin system is no longer functional.

Nancy Faeser also proposed a kind of “center political pact” for migration policy, suggesting that after the elections, a common ground for cooperation with the Christian Union (CDU/CSU) could be found.