27-06-2018

Besieged Merkel seeks escape as rebellion mounts

Financial Times on the German Chancellor’s domestic problems and the migration spat that cast shadow over EU leaders’ summit

The chancellor aims to resolve her row with Mr Seehofer by seeking bilateral deals with countries affected by his new policy, especially Italy. .... Italy made clear over the weekend that it wants to abolish the Dublin system altogether. Giuseppe Conte, prime minister, demanded that the link between the “safe port of disembarkation” and the “competency to examine asylum rights” be severed. “The Italians want to get rid of their refugees, not commit themselves to taking more back,” said Bert van Roosebeke of the Centre for European Policy, a think-tank. “Yet that is exactly the area where the CSU wants to see progress.” ...read on