Despite Germany dealing with an ongoing crime crisis and spending tens of billions every year on immigration, the co-leader of the Social Democrats, Lars Klingbeil, said that his party won’t go along with any efforts to close the borders.
“We have talked about the topic of finance in the exploratory talks so far. We have found a solution. The topic of migration will now come up in the next few days,” said Klingbeil. “But I can tell you very clearly that the SPD will not go along with any de facto border closures. We cannot implement this nationally. And above all, it is unreasonable from a European perspective. At a time when the answer to Donald Trump must be a strong Europe, it is not acceptable for the largest, strongest country in Europe to lead the way and close its borders. We as the SPD will not go along with this.”
Klingbeil made the remarks on Wednesday evening on “Maischberger” on ARD. Germany “cannot implement this nationally,” and it is “irrational in European terms,” he added.
However, Klingbeil’s comments appear to only cement what was already clear. Friedrich Merz, the Christian Democrat (CDU) leader, already signaled there would be no closing of the borders after the election.
Merz had initially promised that on his first day of office, he would “permanently control the borders with all neighboring countries and reject all attempts at illegal entry without exception.” Merz made this promise after an Afghan migrant killed a child in a daycare group in Aschaffenburg.
Notably, when questioned by Maischberger that Merz said he would not form a government without closing borders, Klingbeil was dismissive, saying that Merz already agreed to a historic amount of debt, which Merz had also promised he would not do during the election.
“We don’t want to become friends,” said Klingbeil, “but rather achieve the best for the country.”
Klingbeil said in a previous news special from 2019: “Of course, I’m looking at the 20, 25 percent of AfD voters. That’s what drives me. I got involved in politics because I campaigned against the right, I was active in Antifa. Now, you can see that 25 percent of the people are voting for right-wing extremists.”
Junge Union against talks with SPD
However, not everyone in the CDU is on board with the SPD’s stance. The CDU’s youth wing, Junge Union, has called for an end to negotiations between the CDU and SPD>
“Without a change in the way of migration, the Union cannot enter a government,” said JU chairman Johannes Winkel, who also serves as an MP, in an interview with Bild newspaper. “Lars Klingbeil’s public rejection of a change in the way of migration is irresponsible towards Germany and bad form towards the exploratory partners.”
Winkel pointed to data showing that voters want action on migration.
“The population no longer accepts the combination of open borders for all and an open welfare state for all,” he added.
A tough stance on the border is popular with Germans, with 72 percent saying they are in favor of federal police turning back migrants at the borders to safe third countries, according to a survey conducted on behalf of German newspaper Junge Freiheit before the federal elections. In fact, 69 percent of SPD voters agreed with de facto border closures, while 86 percent of CDU voters backed such a closure.
Once again, it appears that European voters will see their desires for immigration restriction thrown out. Cynics would say they deserve what they vote for.
