EU must use physical violence to stop illegal migrants, says former Merkel minister

Jens Spahn has predicted that the EU will eventually close its external borders. Photo: CLEMENS BILAN/POOL/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

A former minister under Angela Merkel said the EU should “use physical force to stop irregular migration movements” if necessary.

Speaking at ThePioneer podcast, Jens Spahn, deputy chairman of the conservative Christian Democrats (CDU), demanded that «everyone rescued in the Mediterranean must be returned to the North African coast.»

Former health minister predicted E.U. will eventually close its external borders.

“Sooner or later the border will be closed. I can't tell you in five or 15 years. But it will happen.”

Migration has become an increasingly pressing political issue in Germany, with the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party consistently winning more than 21 percent of the vote.

After millions of Middle Eastern refugees arrived in Germany in 2015, the party transformed from predominantly Eurosceptic to anti-immigration.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz, a representative of the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) , said in October that “we must finally begin mass deportations” of those who had no right to remain in Germany.

Millions of Middle Eastern refugees headed to Germany in 2015, changing attitudes towards migrants. Photo: Philip Singer/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

People who “have no legal basis for protection must return,” Mr. Scholz told Spiegel.

Germany deports the most nationals non-EU countries from any EU country in absolute terms, but proportionally lags behind countries such as Sweden.

But Mr Spahn said «the key issue is not repatriation, but limiting illegal repatriation.» migration. If we talk about illegal migration, then logically this number should be zero because it is illegal.”

The former minister was sharply criticized for implying that violence could be used against those seeking to enter to Europe.

>'Gangs of thugs to fight back people'

Clara Ann Bürger, a left-wing MP, said: “Jens Spahn now wants gangs of thugs to fight off people searching protection at the borders… This is clearly illegal and potentially criminal.»

Kim Toji, a historian of colonialism at the University of Hamburg, wrote that «there are people who want the [Berlin] Wall back, including the order to shoot.»

Mr. Spahn also criticized the impact of migration from “Arab-Muslim cultural zones” on society.

“This type of migration… makes Germany more violent, macho, anti-Semitic and homophobic.”