- Home
- World
- RPT - German CDU Divide Over Migration Amid Lack of Viable Policy to Boost AfD's Positions - AfD
RPT - German CDU Divide Over Migration Amid Lack Of Viable Policy To Boost AfD's Positions - AfD
Fakhir Rizvi Published December 14, 2018 | 10:12 AM
MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 14th December, 2018) The congress of Germany's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) in Hamburg on December 7 demonstrated that the political party was deeply divided over migration amid the lack of any effective migration policy, a situation that stands to strengthen the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party's positions, AfD's spokesman in the Bundestag Committee on Foreign Affairs Petr Bystron told Sputnik.
Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, who was elected to succeed German Chancellor Angela Merkel as party leader last week, said on Sunday that she intended to review the country's liberal migration policies, adding that the party's campaign during the 2019 European Parliament elections would be based on these potential changes. Kramp-Karrenbauer received 517 out of 999 votes cast by delegates, while her rival, Friedrich Merz, got 482 votes.
"As the 51 percent election of Kramp-Karrenbauer on Friday showed, the CDU is deeply split over this issue, and lacks the strength to formulate an effective migration policy. Conservative members of the CDU have been quitting the party in droves, and this will only strengthen the AfD," Bystron said.
In turn, Dr. Harald Weyel, the AfD spokesman in the Bundestag Committee on the Affairs of the European Union, told Sputnik that the CDU and its Bavarian sister party, Christian Social Union (CSU), would try to deceive conservative voters by imitating a teeming activity that includes deportations of asylum-seekers convicted of crimes, without introducing any real changes in migration policy.
"The CDU/CSU will attempt to dupe conservative voters concerned about illegal immigration with security theater. Their planned law regarding secure countries of origin will hardly make a dent in the hundreds of thousands of illegals who have no legitimate reason to be in Germany. The minister of the interior appointed by the CSU, Horst Seehofer, notoriously stages law-and-order measures before elections," Dr. Weyel said.
The lawmaker stressed that just a fewer conservative voters would fall for such tricks than ever before.
REAL CHANGES IN GERMANY'S MIGARTION POLICY UNLIKELY
Dr. Anton Friesen, a member of the Bundestag Committee on Foreign Affairs from the AfD, told Sputnik that he did not expect any significant changes in the German migration policy.
"In my point of view there will be no profound change with Merkel and AKK [Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer]. Not only in the matter of migration, but in any political field. The upcoming EU election will be a disaster for CDU/CSU and their coalition partner SPD [Social Democratic Party of Germany]. Discussions about migration will only help our party, because we are the only real alternative on this issue," Dr.
Friesen said.
The lawmaker added that he expected talks between Kramp-Karrenbauer and migration critics in the future but without any significant consequences.
The same point of view was shared by Dr. Weyel, who claimed that the CDU was unable to make any real changes to the country's migration policy and was limited to symbolic actions.
"The CDU is incapable of meaningfully changing German migration policy, and may at most implement a few symbolic measures such as analyzing data from illegal immigrants' smartphones while leaving the borders wide open," Dr. Weyel said.
Bystron, in turn, shared the opinion expressed by the two other lawmakers, saying that Kramp-Karrenbauer was expected to agree with Merkel's policies and, given the fact that Merkel will remain Germany's chancellor until 2022, there would be no decisive changes in Germany's open border policy.
OUTCOMES OF 2019 EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT ELECTION
"The European Parliament elections will be a landslide for the new national, conservative parties in Europe, who want responsible politics for their people, not for the internationalist elites," Bystron said.
The lawmaker added that the European Union should return to a sensible trade and customs union of sovereign nations, dealing fairly with all the bloc's neighbors, including the United Kingdom and Russia.
Dr. Weyel told Sputnik that many patriotic parties throughout Europe would achieve their best results in the elections to the European Parliament in 2019.
"My colleagues from the AfD will join forces with like-minded representatives to pull the emergency brakes on the worst EU measures, which include aiding and abetting human traffickers on Europe's coast," the lawmaker said.
Dr. Friesen expressed assurances that the AfD would at least double its result in the upcoming elections to the European Parliament in comparison with the 2014 vote, which showed the party won seven seats in European vote as a member of the European Conservatives and Reformists.
"The success for us will be primarily symbolic. Nevertheless, we get stronger and stronger. The established parties have to recognize this development," the lawmaker said.
Dr. Friesen highlighted that that the European Union should be reformed to fulfill its core functions, including safe borders and prosperity.
The European Parliament election is scheduled for May 23-26, 2019.
Since the "open borders policy" was announced, Germany has accepted more than 1 million migrants from the middle East and Northern Africa, Merkel's government has been criticized for failing to effectively handle the migrant influx.
Related Topics
Recent Stories
Rawalpindi woman gives birth to six babies
Kenya Army Chief Francis Ogola among nine others who died in Helicopter crash
Saudi FM’s visit positive, constructive one: FO
Hania enjoys vacations in London
IMF Officials assure support to Pakistan’s economy
Naqvi directs foolproof measures for protection of Chinese nationals
Israel carries out attack inside Iran, report US media
Saudi Assistant Minister of Defence calls on army chief
Currency Rate In Pakistan - Dollar, Euro, Pound, Riyal Rates On 19 April 2024
Today Gold Rate in Pakistan 19 April 2024
Rock-solid Ruud racks up season-leading win in Barcelona
At UN, Iran says it will make Israel 'regret' reprisals
More Stories From World
-
Hindu nationalist Modi the favourite as India votes
2 minutes ago -
French police surround Iran consulate in Paris: security source
12 minutes ago -
Blinken says US 'not involved in any offensive operation'
12 minutes ago -
Beijing half marathon runners stripped of medals after controversial finish
32 minutes ago -
Sudanese rue shattered dreams as war enters second year
32 minutes ago -
Eight killed in Russian strikes
1 hour ago
-
Nagelsmann commits to German team ahead of home Euros
2 hours ago -
Remote Indonesia volcano erupts again after thousands evacuated
2 hours ago -
Kenya Army Chief Francis Ogola among nine others who died in Helicopter crash
2 hours ago -
Migrant rescuers vindicated after Italy court drops trafficking charges
2 hours ago -
Oil prices briefly surge, stocks slide on Iran blasts
2 hours ago -
G7 opposes 'full scale military operation in Rafah'
2 hours ago