Germany’s likely next chancellor did not even wait 24 hours after polling closed in the federal election before revealing that voters who demanded changes to migration policy should instead expect more of the same.
Friedrich Merz, leader of the liberal-conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU), said on Monday that “none of us are talking about border closures” to deal with illegal migration.
In fact, polling strongly suggests that many Germans support the right-wing populist Alternative für Deutschland (AfD)’s stance on limiting migration and refugee numbers, and believe the party better understands the growing sense of insecurity among citizens. The fact that the AfD finished in second place in the election with more than a fifth of the vote—just eight points below the CDU—is also indicative of a frustration with establishment failings on border (un)control. Not that this will impact national policy.
Merz’s statement prompted angry claims on social media that he was already going back on pre-election pledges. In particular, that “permanent border controls” would be imposed “on day one” which would “refuse all attempts at illegal entry.”
Anticipating such criticism, the CDU boss—saying that “this was claimed at times during the election campaign”—suggested that media outlets exaggerated his migration stance ahead of the national vote.
If that was true, Merz was happy to go along with this portrayal right up until polling day. Instead of refuting these claims when they were made, he waited hours after voting booths closed to keep the appeal of conservative beliefs alive until the last minute.
The same misuse of conservative beliefs has been seen in the UK—where the Tories ruled as conservatives in name only for 14 years before being replaced last year by Labour, which in turn only pretends to represent working Britons—and elsewhere across Europe.
The CDU has now, at least, revealed its true colours—albeit too late—as well as its efforts to resist the pressures of democracy, particularly on migration control.
