Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s ruling coalition has decided to temporarily extend border controls to all nine of Germany’s land borders as part of a broader crackdown on irregular immigration and an effort to bolster domestic security.
Currently, Germany has temporary controls in place on its borders with Poland, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, and Austria. These controls will be expanded from September 16 to include Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, and Luxembourg for a period of six months, according to a statement from the interior ministry.
Under the new measures, police will be able to conduct both stationary and mobile checks, and they will have the authority to turn people away if necessary, provided their actions comply with European and German law.
Interior Minister Nancy Faeser emphasized that the measures aim to protect against Islamist terrorism and serious cross-border crime. She also stressed the importance of coordinating with neighboring countries and minimizing disruptions to commuters and daily life in border regions.
This decision comes amid growing frustration with the government’s immigration and asylum policies, which contributed to strong performances by extreme right and left-wing parties in recent regional elections in eastern Germany. The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) topped the ballot in Thuringia and secured second place in Saxony, while the far-left Alliance Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW) garnered more votes than Scholz’s Social Democrats and the Greens.
The political climate was further inflamed by a knife attack in Solingen last month, where a Syrian man, previously protected from deportation, is accused of killing three people and injuring eight others. The attack has intensified the debate around immigration policies.
In response to rising extremist political forces and violent incidents, Scholz and his government officials have adopted a tougher stance on immigration, including pledges to deport migrants who commit serious crimes and tighten weapon regulations. Despite these measures, support for Scholz’s coalition has declined, with the conservative CDU/CSU alliance leading at around 32%, and the AfD in second place at about 17%. Scholz’s SPD stands at approximately 15%, while the Greens and FDP have 11% and 5%, respectively.
Interior Minister Faeser has invited CDU/CSU lawmakers and regional officials to further discussions on immigration policy.
