Merz gives "guarantee" for asylum turnaround under Union government

Berliner Morgenpost Merz gives "guarantee" for asylum turnaround under Union government Jan Dörner, Daniel Weidmann, Julia Emmrich, Thorsten Knuf, Philipp Luther, Theresa Martus • 1 hour • 3 minutes reading time The Bundestag has rejected the CDU/CSU parliamentary group's draft law to limit migration, which was hotly debated due to support from the AfD. With the vote, the Union's candidate for chancellor, Friedrich Merz, wanted to demonstrate his energy and strength in migration policy in the wake of the fatal knife attack in Aschaffenburg. Another proposal from the Union found a majority with the help of the AfD's votes. Tens of thousands of people have since taken to the streets to demonstrate against cooperation between the Union and the AfD. Events are also planned for Sunday. A political earthquake had already shaken Germany at the beginning of November. Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) dismissed Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP), and the traffic light coalition collapsed. The result: The 21st federal election will take place on February 23, 2025. Merz gives a "guarantee" for a turnaround on asylum under his position as chancellor Three weeks before the federal election, Union chancellor candidate Friedrich Merz gives a "guarantee" for a turnaround in economic policy and asylum policy if he becomes chancellor. The CDU politician told "Bild am Sonntag": "I give voters in Germany the guarantee that there will be a real turnaround in economic policy and asylum policy. We need a change in policy in Germany." This includes, for example, a strict limitation on the further influx of asylum seekers. CDU presents immediate program The CDU wants to implement party leader Friedrich Merz's controversial five-point plan to stop illegal migration immediately after taking over government and reverse numerous traffic light decisions. This is what the party is promising in the draft resolution for an "immediate program" that is to be adopted this Monday by the 1001 delegates at an election party conference in Berlin. It is available to this editorial team. It is no secret that the party sees an urgent need for action for the Federal Republic. But these documents now show how comprehensively the country is to be changed. The 15-point program entitled "Our immediate program for prosperity and security" was sent to the party executive on Saturday evening. It is divided into two topic areas and contains a condensed version of key parts of the party's election program. The "Priority for competitiveness and prosperity" section contains nine individual points, while the "Security for the people of Germany" section contains six. Söder stands behind Merz CSU party leader Markus Söder has described the approach taken by Union Chancellor candidate Friedrich Merz in the migration debate as a "leading decision", despite harsh criticism from his own ranks. “As a candidate for chancellor, he has chosen this path and thereby shown that he is serious about the asylum turnaround,” Söder told the “Bild” newspaper.