Is this the end of Angela Merkel? Germany's migration agreement leaves Chancellor exposed



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Earlier this week, German Chancellor Angela Merkel agreed to a new agreement on migration in the European Union (EU) to maintain her government coalition, the latest in 12 months for one of the most great political survivors of the world. The coalition government of Angela Merkel is at a standstill on the continuation of migration from outside Europe, which has allowed more than one million newcomers to Europe. Germany. Horst Seehofer, leader of the Christian Social Union (CSU) and Minister of the Interior, pleads for greater restrictions along the southern border of Germany with Austria and Austria. Unilateral expulsion of asylum seekers previously registered in other countries of the European Union. The leaders finally agreed to introduce transit processes in police centers where asylum seekers can be detained and treated. The original agreement provided for the establishment of migrant camps near the border, but the negotiation with the third partner of the coalition, the Social Democratic Party (SDP), resulted in a more flexible agreement. . Refugees already registered in another EU country will be returned to this country if possible. Otherwise, they will be sent back to Austria.

  RTS1VEYY German Chancellor Angela Merkel arrives for a coalition meeting at the Reichstag in Berlin, Germany, on July 5, 2018. REUTERS / Axel Schmidt

Merkel denied that it was a U-turn on his pro-immigrant policies. Stefan Lehne, visiting researcher at the Carnegie Europe think tank, agrees. "Merkel has clearly won and has ensured that German action remains in line with EU law and agreements with EU partners," he said. at the Austrian border. But Italy, the main point of arrival of migrants crossing North Africa, still poses a problem. The new populist coalition "is probably not ready for a bilateral agreement on the reintegration of registered asylum seekers," said Lehne

Migration Problems in Europe

Combined with climate change, to the civil war and economic dislocation, Hundreds of thousands of migrants began arriving on European shores in 2015. Cracks began to widen between EU member states, countries Southern poor having absorbed the majority of newcomers, at least in the beginning. Fences are pbaded along the borders – an anathema concept to the EU project

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While his colleagues were turning to Berlin for help and direction "Hans Kundnani, senior researcher at Chatham House think tank, believes that Merkel's big immigration move has been exaggerated by her supporters and critics. "The millions of asylum seekers who arrived in 2015 – it was not a political choice, it was just something that Germany could not prevent," he said. he told Newsweek . More than a courageous – or reckless – decision, Kundnani considers it "an acceptance of reality".

  RTX2Y59G Migrants queue to receive free food during a snowfall outside of an abandoned customs warehouse in Belgrade, Serbia, on January 9, 2017. [19659004] REUTERS / Marko Djurica

Right-wing movements across the continent were already gaining momentum and the migrant crisis was galvanizing. Although the number of arrivals is decreasing, the subject constitutes a major challenge for Europe. Merkel herself warned that the migration issue could be a matter of "doing or breaking" for the block.

The nationalist governments were already rooted in Hungary under Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and in the Law and Justice Party. Since 2015, the right-wing populists have taken control – in whole or in coalition – of Austria and Italy, while the long-time Eurosceptics have placed the UK on the Brexit path .

The far-right and the center-right are not as big as some believe. "This is not liberal against the Liberals," he said. After all, Merkel and Orbán belong to the European People's Party, a pan-European conservative political party. "They are much closer to each other than people think.It's what's right to do this stuff," said Kundnani

. Many EU countries have seen a shift towards what Lehne calls the state of mind "fortress Europe". "The problem is that the challenge of migration will stay with us for decades," he told Newsweek . "Managing migration responsibly requires common European solutions: better European laws, stronger European institutions and more solidarity between Member States. But the increasingly nationalistic attitudes of many countries make these solutions very difficult to achieve.

Fighting on the Front

Angela Merkel also faces an emboldened right who tries to convince German voters and her colleagues in the Bundestag that she is still the ideal woman for the post she has held since 2000. [19659014Duringlastyear'sfederalelectionthefar-rightAlternativeforGermanypartybecamethethird-largestparliamentsparkingdebateamongthedepth-consciousvotersAlthoughMerkel'sChristian-Christian-Christian-DemocraticUnion(UDC-CDU)coalitionisstillthelargestpartybyvoiceithasbeenswayedby8%againstthecoalitionMerkelmanagedtogetsupportfromtheSocialDemocratParty(SDP)toclingtopower No. Items itemprop = "contentUrl" width = "961" height = "641" clbad = "mapping-embed" src = "http://s.newsweek.com/sites/www.newsweek.com/files/styles/embed-lg /public/2018/07/06/rtx66ey0.jpg "alt =" RTX66EY0 [19659026] Proponents of the Alternative Anti-Immigration Party for Germany hold a demonstration in Berlin, Germany, on May 27, 2018. [19659004] REUTERS / Hannibal Hanschke

The Chancellor has moved away from his pro-immigration policies in recent years and implemented more restrictive policies.But rather than a great ideological reversal, "this change that has taken place place in German politics is that it goes with the tide of public opinion, "suggested Kundnani.However, his time at the summit seems short.

" She's clearly entered in the twilight of his career, "said Lehne. "But there is no obvious successor in sight yet." He suggested that Merkel "will survive, as long as migration figures remain as low as they are currently", although he noted that a "new wave of refugees would destabilize her." [19659016"Itwillprobablysurvivethenexttwoyearsbutwillprobablynotbeinplaceuntilthenextelections"headdedAlthoughtheagreementonmigrantshbadavedthegovernmentforthetimebeingLehnethinksit"willcomebacktohauntthecoalition"

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