“If the requirements of the EU’s Schengen and Dublin agreements can not be promptly implemented again then the Federal Republic of Germany should send refugees back from the border“. Over 200,000 migrants are estimated to have entered Germany since the beginning of September, the vast majority over the Austrian border into Bavaria. The entire programme is to cost about €489m (£363m), he said, adding that while it seemed like a lot of money, “it will be money well spent, because Read more [...]

At a Friday news conference in Munich, Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann said if Berlin fails to better control Germany’s borders from a “mass influx” of migrants and asylum-seekers, Bavaria will introduce “defensive measures” to protect itself from them. Berlin says that entry into the country is the responsibility of the federal government, not the states. “We have agreed that if the federal government does not take effective steps soon to limit the continued flow Read more [...]

German Chancellor Angela Merkel may need to brace for a constitutional challenge as the Bavaria state threatened to take legal steps with regard to the refugee crisis after a meeting of the cabinet."We need a limit to immigration to maintain our internal security," he said."If the requirements of the EU's Schengen and Dublin agreements can not be promptly implemented again then the Federal Republic of Germany should send refugees back from the border".By Rainer Buergin German Chancellor Angela Merkel's Read more [...]

“Yes, affirmative”, she replied, adding that Germany has “managed our budget well in the last few years and our economy is in a good shape”. Nearly declared dead only months ago, Germany’s populist far-right is seeking a comeback amid a record wave of asylum-seekers, hoping to anchor itself in mainstream politics. Talking to Turkey about more aid for refugee camps, she said in unusually blunt language, “is my damned duty”. Since January, Germany has taken in around 577,000 refugees Read more [...]

The German state of Bavaria has threatened to take the Angela Merkel to court unless she curbs the influx of refugees. “We need a limit so that integration can be successful”, Seehofer, chairman of the Christian Social Union, the state party allied with Merkel, told reporters Friday in Munich. The Bavarian government met in an emergency meeting on Friday 9 October to discuss measures that included “sending people back to the border with Austria”. In September, Ms Merkel said asylum Read more [...]

Bavarian authorities do not appear to be alone in their discontent with the German government, as the right-wing “Alternative for Germany” party (AfD) announced on Friday that it was going to take German Chancellor Angela Merkel to the court on the charge of “people smuggling” for welcoming thousands of refugees to the Germany. Dominating the low-profile meeting were the influx of migrants into Europe, the threat from ISIL and the UK’s future in the EU. Under growing domestic pressure Read more [...]

By Jack Phillips on Oct 11, 2015 with Comments 0 Bavaria threatened Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government with a court challenge to limit the number of refugees entering Germany, escalating conflict within her party bloc over her handling of the crisis. Speaking at a news conference, Bavarian state premier Horst Seehofer said “we need to restrict immigration in order to maintain the public’s solidarity with those in need of protection”. The state government Read more [...]

Germany’s vice chancellor Sigmar Gabriel on Saturday accused the Bavarian sister party of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservatives of playing on “fears” over refugees. Remarking on the dramatic rise of asylum seekers in the country he said, “This year, more than 490 criminal attacks have been committed against asylum centers”. Seehofer stopped short of a previous threat to close Bavaria’s borders – which as the state’s minister-president he does not have the legal power to do Read more [...]

In the German Sunday paper "Welt am Sonntag," Seehofer defended his stance, insisting that it has "nothing to do with racism and xenophobia." The Christian Social Union (CSU), the Bavarian sister party to Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democratic Union (CDU), threatened to take the federal government to the Constitutional Court over its refugee policy last week. Speaking to German tabloid "Bild" on Friday, Seehofer also outlined Bavaria's proposed asylum reforms which include measures Read more [...]

The country's interior minister has said his office has recorded more than 490 attacks - ranging from arson to racist graffiti - on refugee shelters in 2015.Over 200,000 migrants are estimated to have entered Germany since the beginning of September, the vast majority over the Austrian border into Bavaria.About 20 percent of the refugees that have come to Germany are Syrians, with about 18 percent coming from Kosovo and 13 percent from Albania.It is unclear if Bavaria would have authority to alter Read more [...]