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The former head of the EU Commission defends Merkel's migration policy. He considers what Germany did during the crisis to be “morally justified”.
Berlin – Angela Merkel has distanced herself from the CDU since the end of her chancellorship – and the CDU has distanced itself from Angela Merkel. The Union primarily distances itself from the former Chancellor's migration policy. In their basic program, the Christian Democrats go far beyond what they have previously proposed in terms of tightening asylum laws. The SPD even classified the CDU's proposal to abolish the individual right to asylum in Europe in its current form and introduce a quota solution at “AfD level”.
Christian Democrat Juncker defends the “welcoming culture”
The former EUCommission President Jean-Claude Juncker, also a Christian Democrat, has now vehemently defended the “welcoming culture” of the Merkel years. “I was impressed by the German attitude during this time,” said Juncker in a conversation with IPPEN.MEDIA. “In the EU Commission, the welcoming culture and Angela Merkel's statement 'We can do it' were shared without exception.”
Jean-Claude Juncker ruled as Prime Minister in Luxembourg for almost twenty years before moving to the head of the EU Commission in 2014. His time in Brussels was primarily marked by the consequences of the financial crisis, the refugee crisis and Brexit. In the refugee crisis he had a difficult relationship with some governmentsbecause they refused to take in refugees.
Juncker “admired the German attitude”
In his opinion, it was the EU Commission that tried to bring order to European refugee policy. “Our decisions were not implemented by some member states,” said Juncker in an interview. “The heads of state and government made big mistakes in the migration crisis.” Juncker includes the member states that were not prepared to act in solidarity. “The fundamental error lay in the incorrect analysis that the migration problem only affected some countries and not the entire European Union.”
Germany, ruled by Merkel, defended Juncker. “I can’t see any serious mistakes in the migration crisis,” he said. “I still consider what the Germans decided in 2015 and 2016 to be goal-oriented and morally justified. I admired the German attitude.”
At the same time, the former politician warns: “We can’t do it.”
Juncker particularly praised the pragmatism of those days. “I will never forget how German civil society acted in solidarity in the face of the increasing refugee movements.” However, he still thinks it is right that there are now often blanket warnings that Germany and Europe “cannot help everyone.” “I cannot subscribe to the idea that Europe could solve all the suffering in the world on a humanitarian basis,” said Juncker. There are good reasons to seek happiness elsewhere. “But we cannot accept all economic refugees in Europe. We will not be able to do it.”
At the same time, Juncker recalled the humanitarian values that the European Union has agreed on. “Europe must not become a fortress,” said the former EU top politician. “Europe must remain a refuge for those politically persecuted.”
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