Germany Declares National Emergency on Migration, Suspends EU Asylum Rules

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz intends to declare a national emergency on migration by invoking Article 72 of the EU Treaty, which would allow Germany to suspend certain asylum regulations and tighten border controls amid concerns that the country is overwhelmed by asylum seekers. This move aims to increase deportations and refuse asylum applications at the borders, although vulnerable groups such as children and pregnant women will be exempt. While ambassadors from neighboring countries like Poland and Austria have been informed, the exact timing of the declaration remains unclear, and the decision has drawn criticism and legal questions from some EU members. The German government has rejected claims that the emergency has already been declared, emphasizing that the policy shift is about reducing numbers rather than an immediate full border closure. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt has ordered federal police to bolster border enforcement, reinforcing that national law would temporarily supersede EU asylum rules. The declaration could strain relations within the EU, especially given existing coalition agreements requiring coordination with neighboring countries on asylum rejections.