CDU Demands EU Funding for Greek, Polish Border Fences

Brussels, Belgium – Germany's conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) has urged the European Commission, led by fellow CDU member Ursula von der Leyen, to provide financial support for the construction of fences at the borders of Greece and Poland. The call comes as Germany has reintroduced stricter measures to deport asylum seekers back to their countries of first entry, often Greece or Poland.

Alexander Throm, the CDU's lead MP on home affairs, told Euractiv that "we must not abandon states by the external borders such as Poland and Greece." He emphasized the need for "structural and technical border protection" and argued that "anyone who wants secure borders must also commit to border fortifications."

While the European Commission has suggested focusing on "smart solutions" like surveillance systems rather than physical barriers, the CDU's position aligns with Poland's recent call for EU-funded military border reinforcement at the last EU leaders' summit.

However, Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz has expressed reservations about EU-funded border protection, arguing that it would amount to "refinancing national defence efforts through European financial channels." He has pointed to the European border protection agency Frontex as an existing resource.

With the CDU gaining momentum in the polls, the pressure on the Commission to reconsider its stance on border funding is increasing. The party's leader, Friedrich Merz, is a potential candidate for the chancellorship in next year's national elections.