A senior member of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party has called for a burqa ban and stricter immigration rules for Germany.
Guido Wolf, a senior politician in the German federal state of Baden-Württemberg, made the call in an interview with German daily tabloid newspaper, Bild. He said that those choosing to conceal themselves turn their back on society and refuse to integrate, and those refusing to integrate do not belong in Germany.
Mr. Wolf did concede that husbands have a role to play in that decision, saying:
“For the sake of women forced to hide by their husbands, we must put pressure on those men with sensitive penalties – if necessary by imprisonment.”
Mr. Wolf also spoke about the general migrant crisis. Contradicting the welcoming line taken by his party ally Mrs. Merkel, he called for Germany to take control of immigration and limit the numbers of people entering the country.
“To that end we need not only to deport economic migrants swiftly,” he said, “but if possible head them off at the border.”
Supporting the proposals made by other allies in the Chancellor’s governing coalition, Mr. Wolf suggested transit zones are appropriate. These border reception centres where migrants would be screened before setting foot in Germany will be discussed again at Thursday’s meeting between Mrs. Merkel and coalition party heads Sigmar Gabriel and Horst Seehofer.
Mr. Wolf blamed Mr. Gabriel’s Social Democratic Party for blocking transit zones and other “sensible” solutions. He noted approvingly that the CDU-led German government had recently tightened the asylum application process, but expressed doubts the various federal states run would follow through on the policy.
Mr. Wolf was sceptical of those German regions headed by left wing coalitions including the Greens. He singled out Winfried Kretschmann, the Greens’ Minister-President of Baden-Württemberg, for particular criticism, noting that his demand for a refugee health card and benefits in kind sent out all the wrong messages which would likely attract more migrants.
Mr. Wolf’s final suggestion was that all migrants in Germany should be required to register a residence and not just be allowed to roam. He pointed out that it is important for authorities to know of their whereabouts at all times as that would allow them to be deported faster if necessary.
He was responding to a question about the flight chartered to carry 100 failed asylum seekers back to Serbia and Macedonia from Germany last Friday. Only 34 showed up for the flight, the rest avoided deportation.