Merkel gives in migration to save his government

Berlin – Chancellor Angela Merkel managed yesterday to save her German government in extremis, finding a compromise with her minister of the interior to reduce the number of asylum seekers in the country.

Compromise reached provides for the installation of "transit centers" at the border between Germany and Austria where they will place asylum seekers already registered in another state European Union, pending their expulsion.

This question was at the heart of the conflict between Merkel, head of the German government and president of the center-right party CDU, with his minister Horst Seehofer, also head of the Bavarian conservative CSU, who threatened to blow up the weak government coalition, which had already cost him to see the light in March

Up to now, migrants seeking asylum upon their arrival in Germany were spread all over the country until 39, what their case is examined. The new agreement puts an end to the traditionally generous policy of welcoming migrants to Germany

The Social Democratic Party, the third partner of the government coalition, has yet to give its approval to the agreement. Its president, Andrea Nahles, has praised the cessation of hostilities in the conservative camp for "getting back to work," but warned that his party would consider the deal Tuesday before delivering its verdict.

Merkel celebrated having realized, "after difficult days and difficult negotiations", a "good agreement" that respects "the spirit of European cooperation" and represents at the same time "a decisive step "Towards Better Control of Asylum Applications within the European Union (EU).

"We have a clear agreement on how to prevent future illegal immigration at the borders between Germany and Austria", held by Seehofer, to a game of power that he has been leading for weeks with Chancellor Merkel for immigration policy

"This very strong agreement, which fits my ideas, allows me to continue to lead the federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs. ; Interior ". On Sunday, Seehofer offered his resignation on the grounds that it would not be possible to reach a compromise with the Chancellor. Finally, he backed off and proposed a final attempt at bargaining

The pledge also provides that migrants settled in the "transit centers" at the border will be forced to stay in them. Their return to the EU countries in which they entered should be organized in the framework of administrative agreements concluded with the States concerned.

In the absence of agreement, it is expected to reject the migrants on the German-Austrian border, However, the compromise also found opponents.

A leader of the German radical left, Bernd Reiexinger, felt that the so-called "transit centers" that are considered equivalent to "mass internment camps", in reference to the Nazi past of the Germany, and called the Social Democrats to reject them.

Merkel comes out weakened from this fight and the conflict around the migrants with the right wing of its coalition could resurface at any time, especially after the October regional elections in Bavaria, where we expect the rise of the far right.