Germany is set to enforce sweeping border control measures and stricter asylum rules starting May 6, in a bold move by Chancellor-designate Friedrich Merz to crack down on irregular migration.

The controversial policy shift has drawn sharp criticism from neighboring Poland and raised concerns over its potential impact on the European Union’s (eu) internal market and asylum obligations.

Merz government tightens border, migration rules

Friedrich Merz, head of the center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU), becomes Germany’s new chancellor this week. His coalition includes the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD), but his policy on immigration tilts sharply right.

His goal: stop irregular migration at the border, fast.

“Anyone who tries to enter Germany illegally must expect that the German border will be the end of the road from May 6,” said Thorsten Frei, Merz’s incoming chief of staff.

From that date, German border police will expand identity checks, reject undocumented arrivals, and turn back asylum seekers entering through other EU countries.

Merz argues that this move aligns with European law, which states that asylum seekers must apply for protection in the first EU country they enter. “That is almost never Germany,” Frei told reporters.

Migration becomes central political issue

The crackdown responds to growing public concern over migration, which has fueled support for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD). The AfD recently came second in the federal elections—its best result ever.

Merz’s new measures aim to undercut the AfD’s momentum by presenting a firm, rules-based approach to migration. However, critics argue that the move is less about security and more about politics.

Aziz Bozkurt, Chair of the SPD’s Working Group on Migration and Diversity, warned, “If I really want to keep right-wing extremists down, then I have to solve the real problems, and that’s not happening.” He labeled the border plans “unlawful and counterproductive.”

Legal and political pushback mounts

European law may not support Germany’s approach as firmly as Merz claims. The 1951 Refugee Convention, the EU’s asylum law, and the German Asylum Act generally require countries to allow asylum seekers to enter for claim processing, even without documents.

Neighboring governments have noticed. Poland’s top diplomat in Berlin, Jan Tombiński, called the existing border controls “a problem for daily border traffic and the functioning of the EU internal market.” He added, “We do not want to see a tightening of border controls.”

Austria, while more supportive, cautiously pointed to EU law, saying informal returns of asylum seekers aren’t legal once a claim has been made.

Border policy meets regional reality

Germany already reintroduced checks at all its land borders back in September 2024. Initially temporary, these were extended into 2025. The new policy builds on that foundation but raises concerns about trade, commuting, and Europe’s passport-free Schengen zone.

Germany’s border stretches over 3,700 kilometers. To police it as planned, the country may need 20,000 additional officers, according to Jochen Kopelke, head of the German police union.

He doubts the government has the means to enforce such strict controls across the entire border.

European unity faces new test

Germany insists it is coordinating with France, Austria, and Poland. But unity remains fragile. 

Brussels has warned that pushbacks—turning people away at the border without asylum processing—go against EU principles. The Commission has not officially commented on Merz’s plan but has stressed before that every migrant must have a fair chance to seek asylum.

While the European Union once gave Poland emergency approval to suspend asylum rights, that decision only applied when migration was used as a political weapon—something not relevant to Germany’s current situation.

Controversy shadows Merz’s European tour

Merz begins his term with a diplomatic challenge. Just days after taking office, he will visit Warsaw.

There, he is expected to defend his immigration policy in person. He also plans visits to Paris and Kyiv, aiming to rebuild alliances while asserting Germany’s new approach on the global stage.

Inside Germany, his plans remain divisive. Supporters call it overdue; critics say it breaks both legal norms and moral obligations.

Tighter borders complicate travel, migration across Europe

Germany’s new border controls could ripple across the continent, reshaping travel and migration patterns. Starting May 6, intensified checks at all land crossings may delay short-term visitors, disrupt long-term stays, and increase scrutiny for asylum seekers. 

Tourists entering Germany—even those from visa-exempt countries—may face extended wait times at borders due to identity verification measures. Students, business travelers, and seasonal workers could also encounter new bureaucratic hurdles or unexpected rejections if they lack perfect documentation.

The timing of Germany’s move coincides with the upcoming launch of the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS), set to become mandatory in 2025. ETIAS will require travelers from visa-free countries to get advance approval before visiting the Schengen Zone.

Combined with Germany’s hardline stance, ETIAS may reinforce a more security-driven approach to travel authorization, increasing the burden on non-EU visitors. Migrants seeking asylum in Germany will face even greater barriers, as the Merz government aims to turn back those who arrive from other EU countries without valid paperwork, regardless of their need for protection.

Although the Schengen Agreement guarantees free movement across most of Europe, Germany’s actions challenge that spirit.

Neighboring countries worry about the precedent. If one member state starts treating internal borders like external ones, others may follow. This creates friction not just for people moving across borders, but for the idea of a united Europe itself.

Internal pressure forces EU countries to rethink migration rules

Germany’s pivot toward tighter border enforcement is pressuring other EU countries to reassess their migration policies. Friedrich Merz’s plan—bolstered by strong voter support for the anti-immigration AfD—signals that political appetite for stricter asylum rules is rising. 

Even moderate parties now face demands to “regain control” of immigration systems to retain public trust. That puts pressure on the EU’s long-delayed reform of the Common European Asylum System (CEAS), which seeks to spread responsibility more evenly across member states.

Poland’s leaders, already critical of Germany’s tightening, fear increased returns of asylum seekers. Under EU rules, countries must process asylum claims from people who first enter the bloc on their soil.

But if Germany begins unilaterally rejecting arrivals, others may push back or refuse to cooperate, especially in Eastern Europe. Austria has already hinted it’s reluctant to take back rejected migrants.

Germany’s move could lead to a patchwork of national policies in place of a common EU stance. While Brussels advocates for shared responsibility, Merz’s approach leans toward national control.

That shift risks deepening divides between Western and Eastern Europe on how to handle migration. In time, Germany’s decision may force the EU either to overhaul its rules—or watch them unravel under the weight of domestic politics.

Europe’s borders, Germany’s burden

As Germany enacts sweeping new border controls and asylum restrictions, Merz positions his government at the center of Europe’s migration crossroads—where sovereignty, solidarity, and law collide.

Critics warn of legal breaches and fractured EU unity, but Merz insists, “The German border will be the end of the road.” May 6 marks not just a shift in policy, but a test of Europe’s cohesion.