Germans back stricter entry rules. News. A recent poll reveals that most Germans back stricter border measures, such as turning away immigrants, enforcing border controls, or deporting those without legal status. The results show that older people are more likely to support these measures than younger ones.
Despite European legal guidelines, a majority of the German population favors tougher border rules. This comes from a survey conducted by YouGov on behalf of the German Press Agency (dpa). The findings indicate that older people are more inclined to endorse strict policies to manage irregular migration compared to younger individuals.
Out of 2,126 participants surveyed between September 6-10, 71% supported turning migrants away at the border. This policy is already in place for those who need a visa and don’t apply for asylum upon entering, as well as those with an entry ban.
Meanwhile, 21% of respondents opposed these rejections at German borders. The CDU/CSU party has called for the Federal Police to reject asylum seekers at the border if they’ve passed through another EU country first.
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When asked about border controls and potential closures to limit migration, 45% of respondents fully supported the idea, 28% viewed it positively, and 20% were against such measures.
Elderly Show Strong Support for Increased Expulsions
According to a recent survey, 82% of participants agreed with expelling more people who don’t have the right to stay in Germany. Only 11% opposed the idea, while 7% had no opinion.
Support was especially strong among those over 60, with more than 95% in favor of expulsions. In contrast, only 68% of people aged 18 to 39 shared this view. There were no major differences in opinions between respondents from East and West Germany.
Rejection of migrants can only occur at borders with fixed controls. Since October 2023, over 30,000 people have been turned away at the border, according to the German Ministry of the Interior.
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In mid-October 2023, Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) ordered fixed border controls with Poland, the Czech Republic, and Switzerland. Controls have been in place at the Austrian border since 2015, and this week they were extended to borders with France, Denmark, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg.