The mayors of the German city of Kehl and the French city of Strasbourg, located near the border, jointly sent a letter to Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz complaining about the intensified border checks. The appeal was published on the official website of the Kehl city administration.
Kehl’s Mayor Wolfram Britz and Strasbourg’s Mayor Jeanne Barseghian note that the new measures create serious obstacles to their close cooperation and “violate our shared space.”
According to them, the tightened controls introduced on May 8 have had a negative impact on the regional economy. In particular, the number of visitors from Strasbourg to Kehl has significantly decreased, while residents of the French Alsace region still frequently travel to the German state of Baden-Württemberg for work and shopping.
The letter emphasizes that many people cross the border daily for work, and the imposed restrictions are causing them significant difficulties.
Strasbourg and Kehl have been connected since 1960 by the Bridge of Europe — a symbol of Franco-German reconciliation and peace, as well as the busiest border crossing point between the two countries.
With the arrival of the new government in Germany, a decision was made to strengthen border controls and turn away those at the border who have already applied for asylum in another EU country. At the same time, the German police union expressed concern, stating that they “will not be able to sustain” the prolonged intensified control regime aimed at combating illegal migration.
