Germany secures deal for return of failed asylum claimants: reports

By Staff The Associated Press

Posted June 30, 2018 6:50 am EST

Updated June 30, 2018 9:03 am EST

1 min read

This article is more than 6 years old and some information may not be up to date.

The election of right-wing populists is increasing pressure on governments to close borders to migrants. The European Union's core principle is open borders, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel says anti-immigration policies could make or break the EU. As Eric Sorensen reports, Merkel herself is in danger of seeing her coalition government fall over the issue – Jun 28, 2018

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has reportedly secured agreements with 14 European Union countries to facilitate the rapid return of migrants who have been rejected for asylum.

Story continues below advertisement

The dpa news agency reported Saturday Merkel also informed government coalition partners in a letter she wants “anchor centres” to process migrants at Germany’s borders.

The email you need for the day's top news stories from Canada and around the world.

The developments come amid a standoff between Merkel and her Interior Minister Horst Seehofer, who heads her Bavarian-only partner Christian Social Union party. Seehofer wants to turn some migrants away at Germany’s borders, and Merkel insisted on a European-wide solution.

“It is in Germany’s interest to achieve the regulation of migration in a good partnership with our European neighbors,” Merkel said two weeks ago.

“We think that turning people back without consultation at our borders, as a country at the heart of Europe, could lead to negative domino effects that could also hurt Germany and ultimately lead to the questioning of European unity.”

Merkel on Friday came away from a EU summit with agreements from Greece and Spain to take back migrants previously registered in those countries, and an overall agreement by the 28-bloc to ease the pressure of migration into Europe.