The Merz administration sets a cutoff for asylum concessions by Tuesday.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) needs to utilize his executive powers in relation to objections and inform the skeptics within his alliance: "This can be accomplished, we'll make it happen." Merz emphasized: "Then we have a meeting scheduled for next Wednesday, and we can delve into it during the Bundestag the following week." This is considered the Union's outstretched hand.
The day prior, Union delegates and government officials engaged in discussions about collaboratively implementing a far-reaching overhaul of the refugee and immigration legislation, aiming to decrease unlawful immigration. The catalyst for this plan was Merz following the assault in Solingen.
The Union is imposing border rejections as a prerequisite for a collaborative reform. The federal government consented to a legal examination. However, Merz voiced his discontentment with this move. "There's no need for further examination; a decision should be made," said the CDU leader.
Merz expressed his disdain for the format of the refugee consultations the day before with sarcasm: In fact, the Union had suggested a small circle discussion and brought four representatives from both federal and state governments to the meeting. However, the federal government "showed up with 50 people," Merz remarked.
"Their distrust is so profound that they need to present themselves in full force just to engage in a reasonable dialogue with the opposition," said Merz, observing the traffic light coalition. "Everyone had to sit down to monitor the other," he continued. "Do they truly believe that an accord can be reached in such a group?" Merz added.
Merz proposed a potential solution to the refugee legislative overhaul, suggesting that the federal government should focus on making decisions rather than conducting further examinations for border rejections. In light of this, he expressed his concerns about the excessive number of government representatives in refugee consultation meetings, suggesting that such a large presence creates an environment that may hinder productive dialogue and agreement. This could potentially pave the way for addressing the asylum seekers' situation more effectively.
