The German government has denied a media report saying that the newly elected chancellor Friedrich Merz had declared a state of national emergency in order to strengthen border controls.
A government spokesperson erased rumors on Thursday, assuring the public that the Brussels special clause, article 72 of the Treaty on the Operation of the European Union, was not triggered.
“The chancellor does not declare a national emergency,” said Stefan Kornelius, addressing local media.
Earlier Thursday, the point of sale of the German media, Die Welt, said that the new federal government planned to invoke the EU clause. If it is adopted, national law would apply to border protection and internal security with immediate effect.
This would trigger an in -depth tightening of border controls, as well as the rejection of asylum applications.
It would also be the first time that Germany, a founding member of the EU, would try to suspend the law of the block. However, Brussels should first decide whether or not to approve it.
The same clause was invoked by Italy in 2023 to combat what the government called an alarming crisis of immigration.
The report also said that the ambassadors of the neighboring countries of Germany had been informed by the Ministry of the Interior on the issue, but it was not specified in the start of the national emergency.
In addition, German officials told Euronews that Merz wanted to declare a national emergency to intensify the increased deportations of people who try to illegally enter Germany via an EU safe country.
On Wednesday, the Minister of the Interior, Alexander Dobrindt, said that he had asked the federal police to tighten border controls in order to make more irregular migrants back, including those who intended to request asylum.
“We will control more strictly borders … will also lead to a higher number of refusals,” said Dobrindt less than a day after being sworn.
However, Dobrindt said that vulnerable people, including pregnant children and women, would not be repressed on the border.
These plans attracted criticism from Poland and Austria, and their legality was questioned by certain experts.
