Union internal politicians currently still believe that border controls are sensible. But there is resistance in the faction. In principle, Seehofer can simply arrange the controls. But he attaches great importance to coordinating with the countries.
Berlin (dpa) - The planned by Federal Interior Minister Horst Seehofer (CSU) to extend the controls ordered at the German border because of the corona pandemic has met with criticism from some CDU politicians from the border region.
Nine members of the Bundestag from Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate said the borders with France, Luxembourg and Switzerland should be reopened. The "Spiegel" reported about this first.
Union parliamentary group deputy Andreas Jung and his party colleague Felix Schreiner stated: "Only with exceptions can we get no further here. We live here together and our region is so intertwined that the exception is the rule."
The CDU interior politician Armin Schuster, also from Baden-Württemberg, supported Seehofer. Its ministry said on Wednesday that Seehofer wanted to extend controls on the borders with France, Austria, Denmark, Luxembourg and Switzerland until May 15. According to dpa information, there were no concerns on Thursday in the Corona cabinet or among the heads of state. Schuster advocated increasing the number of border crossings through which certain groups can enter Germany. This could alleviate the situation somewhat.
Provided that the infection process does not stand in the way, the border regime can then be gradually relaxed from mid-May, "in step with the relaxation of domestic contact restrictions," said Schuster of the German Press Agency.
The controls were first ordered in mid-March and then extended to slow the spread of the coronavirus in Germany. Since then, people who are neither Germans nor permanently resident here can only come to Germany for a "valid reason". EU citizens who travel through Germany to their home country or truck drivers are allowed to enter the country. Entry is also restricted to certain border crossings. Since April 10, almost all returnees in Germany have had to quarantine at home for two weeks after spending several days abroad.
In a directive to the federal police on April 17, the Federal Ministry of the Interior clarified that foreign spouses and registered life partners must be permitted to enter the country. Anyone who lives in an unregistered relationship can try to make their travel reason differently credible to the federal police officer at the border.
From Monday, pupils from Alsace are allowed to cross the border again for school in Germany. The Presidium of Freiburg announced that the Alsatian authorities had given the green light to this plan. This is important because the first schools in Baden-Württemberg should start operating again in May. Students from France primarily benefit from the regulation, who attend the German-French high school in Freiburg and have the written Abitur examination there at the end of May. To cross the border, they now need a pass, which commuters, for example, can also get.
FDP domestic politician Konstantin Kuhle called on Seehofer to relax the strict border regime. He said: "Not only the people in the border region are suffering massively from the absolute border closures, but also the regional economy. The time for the measures with the sledgehammer must end."