German Chancellor Olaf Scholz addressed parliament on Wednesday, defending his government’s efforts to tackle irregular migration, following the breakdown of cross-party talks on the issue.
Scholz reaffirmed his commitment to border controls, stating, "The number of people coming to us has fallen because we have introduced border controls... we will continue this successful approach."
Scholz also emphasized his willingness to work with the opposition, noting that "the door is not closed" on further talks and urging for compromise.
However, Friedrich Merz, leader of the opposition Christian Democratic Union (CDU), rejected the government's proposals, saying they "fall far short of the necessities".
The migration debate heats up as Germany faces increasing pressures from ongoing large-scale migration, nearly a decade after welcoming over 1 million asylum seekers. Scholz's government has recently expanded border controls, citing security concerns, as extremist incidents involving asylum-seekers have fueled public debate.
Germany's approach to migration has become a major political issue, especially following the rise of far-right AfD in recent state elections.
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