Displaying items by tag: Horst Seehofer

In his first interview since taking over the position of interior minister, Horst Seehofer said, ‘Islam does not belong to Germany’, and he has committed to an immigration policy with a ‘master plan’ to accelerate deportations. His statements brought criticism from Angela Merkel. Seehofer said Germany was moulded in Christianity, traditionally resting on Sundays, holding Christian festivities and rites - Holy Week, Pentecost and Christmas. He promised to put a heavy hand on migrants committing crimes, and accelerate the deportation of migrants whose asylum applications are denied, adding, ‘There must be an agreement in all of Germany to stop consenting to areas of exclusion’. Exclusion zones are communities living outside the law in cities where the state has lost control over delinquent migrant gangs. Native Germans, including the police, are afraid to enter them. The high number of migrants has generated many more questions regarding internal security.