German Opposition Leader Proposes Strict Border Controls After Knife Attack

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Following a tragic knife attack in Aschaffenburg that left a two-year-old boy and a 41-year-old man dead, German conservative opposition leader Friedrich Merz has pledged significant changes to the country's border and asylum policies. The attack, which occurred in a park frequented by children, has ignited a national debate about immigration and public safety.

Merz, expected to lead the Christian Democratic Union in the upcoming federal elections on February 23, 2024, vowed that on his first day in office, he would direct the interior ministry to take complete control of Germany's borders. His proposed reforms include effectively closing borders to all irregular migrants, even those entitled to protection.

The suspect, an Afghan man aged 28, who had arrived in Germany in 2022, has been linked to previous violent incidents and was living in asylum accommodation while undergoing psychiatric treatment. He faces charges of murder and grievous bodily harm. Chancellor Olaf Scholz denounced the attack as an "act of terror," despite the absence of evidence regarding a terrorist motive.

In light of this incident and previous attacks involving asylum seekers, both Scholz and Merz have adopted a more hardline stance on immigration. While Germany has temporarily reinstated border checks under Schengen rules, Merz criticized EU asylum policies as ineffective and stressed the need for national laws to prevail.

However, critiques of this approach have emerged, with some warning that such populist rhetoric could strengthen the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, which has capitalized on anti-immigration sentiments. As the political landscape evolves before the elections, the balance between security concerns and humanitarian responsibility remains contested.

The attack has not only claimed lives but has also reignited discussions around the effectiveness of Germany's previous asylum policies initiated during the 2015-16 migrant crisis under former Chancellor Angela Merkel.

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