– We are serious about what we called a change in migration policy," said German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Saturday (30.08.2025) during the National CDU organization reunion in North Rhine-Westphalia, Bonn. The Secretary-General of the CDU Carsten Linnemann likewise stated.
Decrease in asylum applications
– We have promised: we will put an end to illegal migration and return to an orderly immigration policy," said Friedrich Merz, referring to his announcements from the run to the Bundestag. His government's large success was called the fact that the influx of asylum seekers had fallen to the lowest level in 10 years.
In order to accomplish this, the fresh government tightened border controls immediately after taking power, and since then "more than 10,000 illegal migrants have been returned," the Chancellor stressed. The first group of criminals were deported to Afghanistan, and further deportation flights to Afghanistan, as well as Syria, are expected to happen soon. In addition, the anticipation of arrival of exile families in Germany for persons with reduced supplementary protection has been suspended.
As a result, the national government has put forward close cooperation with the European neighbouring countries. However, German decisions on the rejection of asylum applications and the tightening of border controls were partially critical. The Chancellor has now advocated the planned improvement of European asylum policy through the Common European Asylum strategy (GEAS).
However, this does not change the fact that immigration to Germany will proceed and should take place, as the Chancellor explained: "We are and will stay an immigration country," he said.
Merkel Criticism
Carsten Linnemann criticised the conduct of the erstwhile Chancellor. Her asylum policy was as a consequence unsatisfactory," said the secretary-general to the Funke Mediengruppe newspapers. Angela Merkel "overburdened the municipalities" and "caused uncertainty in society".
Therefore, it is right to send a message to the planet that Germany will not accept everyone, as the CDU Secretary-General stressed. “We are already seeing the effect: illegal migration has fallen by 20 percent in Europe and even 50 percent in Germany,” he said. Controls at the German borders should be maintained until the external borders of Europe are secured.
Restoring Trust
Loss of assurance in the policy that has emerged among part of the public in connection with the migration policy of fresh years, "will proceed for a long time" – believes CSU club president in the Bavarian Landtag Klaus Holetschek in an interview with newspapers belonging to the Bayern media group. – What people truly wanted was simply ignored besides long: immigration to take up work and integration: yes. Immigration into social systems and refusal to integrate: no – he criticised, adding that Merkel's actions were "well thought out", but her optimism "finally failed".
In her message of 31 August 2015, Angela Merkel expressed her belief that the humanitarian reception and integration of hundreds of thousands of refugees, who came to Germany mainly from Syria, would succeed. A fewer days ago, on the occasion of her anniversary, she confirmed her decision to accept refugees humanitarianly at the time. She highlighted the large advancement made in integrating them.
Peter Altmaier (CDU) at the time expressed a akin opinion in the NDR. “We have achieved a large deal,” said then Minister of Labour and now president of the national Labour Agency Andrea Nahles (SPD) in an interview with web.de.
