Germany’s European Union Journey and the Issue of Border Controls
Germany is situated in a critical location for the European Union in Northern Europe. Having completed its unification in 1871, considered late compared to the other nations, Germany became a major power challenging the British Empire in Continental Europe thanks to the policies of the “Iron Chancellor” Otto von Bismarck. However, the balance of power policies Bismarck had tried to put forward was hindered after Wilhelm II became the Emperor in 1888. German Empire, especially as of 1890, when Bismarck was forced to resign, shook the power balance in Europe thanks to Wilhelm II’s aggressive and expansionist foreign policy.
It was during Wilhelm II’s reign that the German Empire became disputatious in Europe. According to many historians, the Emperor’s aggressive foreign policy, the arms race against the British Empire, and the relentless defense of Austria-Hungary’s interests in the Balkans elicited the motivations that dragged the Continent into the Great War, namely World War I.
After being defeated in World War I, the Treaty of Versailles was signed, and the Weimar Republic was established. However, the heavy burden of the agreement and the efforts of some sections of society to reestablish a war-wrecked national reputation led to the gradual resurgence of the radical movements. With National Socialists pioneering the movement reached its climax after the appointment of Hitler as the Chancellor by President Paul von Hindenburg in 1933. As of that the period of the Third Reich commenced in Germany, which is known as the Nazi Period as well. Hitler, apart from the aforementioned restoration, pursued a policy of heavy and rapid armament in order to create a living space for the Aryan race who are the descendants of Germans in Northern Europe, which led to the eventual advent of World War II.
Germany, being defeated in this war either, was divided into two West and East. After the experience process, France and England aimed at establishing a supranational organization within the scope of the “European Project” in order to keep the Germans under control who had been the foremost actor during the two world wars, and thus to prevent war from taking place again in the Continent. Following this, the European Coal and Steel Community was formed in 1952, followed by the establishment of the European Atomic Energy Community and European Economic Community six years later, which laid the foundations of the supranational organization, which we today know as the European Union.
At the time West Germany, within the context of European Integration, took part in the communities in question as a founding member. With the West and East Germany merged in 1990, Germany became a member of the European Union as a whole after the Treaty of Maastricht was ratified in 1993.
The fact that Continental Europe has not had a large-scale war after World War I can be seen as a relative success of the organization. Yet, the European Union’s objective of seeking to forge a federal structure in the end seems blurred. Eventually, it is troublesome for structures with different political cultures to live together in harmony. The Empthy-Chair Crisis in 1966 was one of the first fractures created by such hardships and brought about the dissolution threat to the organization. The veto system formed in the Luxembourg Compromise that put an end to the crisis still persists creating crises in the European Union.
The unilateral inauguration of the stricter border controls of Germany with France, Belgium, Netherlands, Denmark, and Luxembourg serves as a precedence to understand how far the organization is away from collectivity and achieving its federal structure goal.[1] Being frustrated by the bloody migrant attacks and the rise of the far-right parties, the government imposed these implementations as the last remedy. Germany, exerting similar border policies against Austria, Switzerland, Czechia, and Poland, aims at deterring numerous migrants with such policies. According to the report from the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Germany, almost 30.000 migrants were sent back from the Austrian border.
After the policies of Angela Merkel, the rate of far-right parties in the Parliament reached its highest since the prior period of World War II. Compelled to resolve the migrant issue to stop the rise of far-right parties, the government must impose border control policies that attract adverse reactions from the EU countries straining relations.
When it comes to the Schengen Area which was established in 1985 and integrated into the EU in 1999, which envisages the free movement of more than 400 million people, these border policies are causing controversies. The Premier of Poland Donald Tusk criticized Germany for de facto suspending the Schengen Treaty and cancelled his trip to Germany.[2] Whereas the Ministry of Internal Affairs defined its policies as plausible as the policies align with the principles of the Treaty which clearly states that the countries may reintroduce border controls when seen necessary.[3] In an additional statement, it was accentuated that the implementation covers the borders with the neighboring countries, and according to EU Dublin Rules, the asylum applications must be done in the first arrival country.[4]
Relative peace was established in the Continent after the soothing of the historic tension between Germany and France by keeping Germany under control through their joint integration under the common roof of a supranational entity, the creation of economic cooperation as foreseen by the liberal economic theory. It can be said that the organization has realized a pack of its objectives so far even though there are plenty of people expressing their views about the European Union being only a puppet to keep a tight rein on Germany.
Yet, aside from the accumulation of the problems in the organization, despite the continuing legitimization of the border controls, this issue leads to the emergence of irredeemable fractures. After the high politicization of the migration issue, it is not perplexing to see governments drawing their policies aligned with the migration problem and exerting their propaganda accordingly. However, the viability and the plausibility of the expected result, in the end, seem vague and are still debated through implementations such as border controls. Undoubtedly, the aforementioned issues and the policies overlapping with the interests of the issues that are free of collectivity will continue to be mentioned in the years to come and procrastinate the main goal of forming a federal entity.
[1] Stroud, Liv (2024), “Why is Germany strengthening its border controls now?”, Euronews, https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2024/09/10/why-is-germany-strengthening-its-border-controls-now, (Access Date: 29.10.2024).
[2] Harper, Jo (2024), “Polish premier slams Gemrn plans to introduce border controls with neighbors, cancels visit.”, Anadolu Ajansı, https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/polish-premier-slams-german-plans-to-introduce-border-controls-with-neighbors-cancels-visit/3326774#!, (Access Date: 29.10.2024).
[3] Rasquinho, Selen Valente (2024), EU reaches out to Germany over temporary border controls”, Anadolu Ajansı, https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/eu-reaches-out-to-germany-over-temporary-border-controls/3326670, (Access Date: 29.10.2024).
[4] Alkoussa, Riham (2024), “Germany brings back border checks to curb migration, experts question impact.”, Reuters, https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/germanys-tighter-border-controls-take-effect-irking-neighbours-2024-09-16/, (Access Date: 29.10.2024).Germany is situated in a critical location for the European Union in Northern Europe. Having completed its unification in 1871, considered late compared to the other nations, Germany became a major power challenging the British Empire in Continental Europe thanks to the policies of the “Iron Chancellor” Otto von Bismarck. However, the balance of power policies Bismarck had tried to put forward was hindered after Wilhelm II became the Emperor in 1888. German Empire, especially as of 1890, when Bismarck was forced to resign, shook the power balance in Europe thanks to Wilhelm II’s aggressive and expansionist foreign policy.
It was during Wilhelm II’s reign that the German Empire became disputatious in Europe. According to many historians, the Emperor’s aggressive foreign policy, the arms race against the British Empire, and the relentless defense of Austria-Hungary’s interests in the Balkans elicited the motivations that dragged the Continent into the Great War, namely World War I.
After being defeated in World War I, the Treaty of Versailles was signed, and the Weimar Republic was established. However, the heavy burden of the agreement and the efforts of some sections of society to reestablish a war-wrecked national reputation led to the gradual resurgence of the radical movements. With National Socialists pioneering the movement reached its climax after the appointment of Hitler as the Chancellor by President Paul von Hindenburg in 1933. As of that the period of the Third Reich commenced in Germany, which is known as the Nazi Period as well. Hitler, apart from the aforementioned restoration, pursued a policy of heavy and rapid armament in order to create a living space for the Aryan race who are the descendants of Germans in Northern Europe, which led to the eventual advent of World War II.
Germany, being defeated in this war either, was divided into two West and East. After the experience process, France and England aimed at establishing a supranational organization within the scope of the “European Project” in order to keep the Germans under control who had been the foremost actor during the two world wars, and thus to prevent war from taking place again in the Continent. Following this, the European Coal and Steel Community was formed in 1952, followed by the establishment of the European Atomic Energy Community and European Economic Community six years later, which laid the foundations of the supranational organization, which we today know as the European Union.
At the time West Germany, within the context of European Integration, took part in the communities in question as a founding member. With the West and East Germany merged in 1990, Germany became a member of the European Union as a whole after the Treaty of Maastricht was ratified in 1993.
The fact that Continental Europe has not had a large-scale war after World War I can be seen as a relative success of the organization. Yet, the European Union’s objective of seeking to forge a federal structure in the end seems blurred. Eventually, it is troublesome for structures with different political cultures to live together in harmony. The Empthy-Chair Crisis in 1966 was one of the first fractures created by such hardships and brought about the dissolution threat to the organization. The veto system formed in the Luxembourg Compromise that put an end to the crisis still persists creating crises in the European Union.
The unilateral inauguration of the stricter border controls of Germany with France, Belgium, Netherlands, Denmark, and Luxembourg serves as a precedence to understand how far the organization is away from collectivity and achieving its federal structure goal.[1] Being frustrated by the bloody migrant attacks and the rise of the far-right parties, the government imposed these implementations as the last remedy. Germany, exerting similar border policies against Austria, Switzerland, Czechia, and Poland, aims at deterring numerous migrants with such policies. According to the report from the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Germany, almost 30.000 migrants were sent back from the Austrian border.
After the policies of Angela Merkel, the rate of far-right parties in the Parliament reached its highest since the prior period of World War II. Compelled to resolve the migrant issue to stop the rise of far-right parties, the government must impose border control policies that attract adverse reactions from the EU countries straining relations.
When it comes to the Schengen Area which was established in 1985 and integrated into the EU in 1999, which envisages the free movement of more than 400 million people, these border policies are causing controversies. The Premier of Poland Donald Tusk criticized Germany for de facto suspending the Schengen Treaty and cancelled his trip to Germany.[2] Whereas the Ministry of Internal Affairs defined its policies as plausible as the policies align with the principles of the Treaty which clearly states that the countries may reintroduce border controls when seen necessary.[3] In an additional statement, it was accentuated that the implementation covers the borders with the neighboring countries, and according to EU Dublin Rules, the asylum applications must be done in the first arrival country.[4]
Relative peace was established in the Continent after the soothing of the historic tension between Germany and France by keeping Germany under control through their joint integration under the common roof of a supranational entity, the creation of economic cooperation as foreseen by the liberal economic theory. It can be said that the organization has realized a pack of its objectives so far even though there are plenty of people expressing their views about the European Union being only a puppet to keep a tight rein on Germany.
Yet, aside from the accumulation of the problems in the organization, despite the continuing legitimization of the border controls, this issue leads to the emergence of irredeemable fractures. After the high politicization of the migration issue, it is not perplexing to see governments drawing their policies aligned with the migration problem and exerting their propaganda accordingly. However, the viability and the plausibility of the expected result, in the end, seem vague and are still debated through implementations such as border controls. Undoubtedly, the aforementioned issues and the policies overlapping with the interests of the issues that are free of collectivity will continue to be mentioned in the years to come and procrastinate the main goal of forming a federal entity.
[1] Stroud, Liv (2024), “Why is Germany strengthening its border controls now?”, Euronews, https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2024/09/10/why-is-germany-strengthening-its-border-controls-now, (Access Date: 29.10.2024).
[2] Harper, Jo (2024), “Polish premier slams Gemrn plans to introduce border controls with neighbors, cancels visit.”, Anadolu Ajansı, https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/polish-premier-slams-german-plans-to-introduce-border-controls-with-neighbors-cancels-visit/3326774#!, (Access Date: 29.10.2024).
[3] Rasquinho, Selen Valente (2024), EU reaches out to Germany over temporary border controls”, Anadolu Ajansı, https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/eu-reaches-out-to-germany-over-temporary-border-controls/3326670, (Access Date: 29.10.2024).
[4] Alkoussa, Riham (2024), “Germany brings back border checks to curb migration, experts question impact.”, Reuters, https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/germanys-tighter-border-controls-take-effect-irking-neighbours-2024-09-16/, (Access Date: 29.10.2024).
