Former Chancellor Angela Merkel affirmed her fundamental objection to new border controls and expressed optimism about recent advancements in European migration policy. Speaking to the “Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung” (FAS), Merkel insisted that she had never endorsed the border control measures introduced by the Merz government, stating that her understanding of legal possibilities within the Schengen area has always differed significantly.
Regarding developments in the EU’s migration strategy, Merkel was positive. She deemed the progress being made through European cooperation “genuine and very pleasing,” noting that Europe has advanced much further since her time in office-a change she had wished for during her tenure. While acknowledging that not all issues have been resolved, she stated that the overall “European progress” is “undeniable.” Furthermore, she views these collective European decisions as considerably more crucial than those made concerning national border enforcement.
When asked whether her refugee policy contributed to the strengthening of the AfD party, Merkel offered a detailed counter-argument. She suggested that the AfD originated primarily within the context of the Eurozone crisis, predating many of her recent policies. She pointed out that during the 2013 federal election, the AfD narrowly failed to enter parliament and subsequently entered a decline. This period also saw the rise of PEGIDA protests in Eastern Germany starting in 2014. Merkel stressed that these events took place before her high-profile September 2015 decision-the attempt to deny asylum seekers at the Austrian-German border, potentially using force. Nonetheless, she conceded that this specific policy choice did lead to a subsequent rise in AfD polling figures.
