In a televised debate in Germany, Chancellor Olaf Scholz raised a controversial idea about moving asylum seekers within Europe and even suggested that individuals who are not seeking asylum could be sent to neighboring countries, including Poland. He said such options could be pursued after securing assurances from partners, among them Donald Tusk. Scholz’s remarks quickly sparked a flood of online commentary across the internet.
Scholz argued that expulsions or refusals are legally permissible in cases where there is no asylum application, and he claimed that Germany had obtained broad consent from neighboring states to operate a relocation mechanism. He added that asylum procedures must be resolved differently, and that a larger set of rights under the European asylum pact could take effect next year, potentially easing migration management across Europe and giving Germany greater room to act in the coming year.
The discussion with Friedrich Merz centered on how these measures would align with an asylum pact still awaiting full implementation. Scholz suggested that coordinating with other European governments would become simpler in the future, reducing the current need to obtain permission from many states for each step.
A storm on the internet
The remarks unleashed a wave of online reactions and public commentary. Some critics argued that German funding or campaigns were influencing migration policy, while others warned that such moves could thrust Poland into the center of an ongoing migration debate. The exchange quickly drew responses from a wide range of Polish political voices.
Mateusz Morawiecki, a PiS MP, suggested that German foundations had supported elements of a campaign and questioned the timing of the talks. Sebastian Kaleta, another PiS MP, stressed that the migration pact has not yet taken effect, yet some German actors were pushing for steps that would involve Poland. Arkadiusz Mularczyk, PiS MP, called the diplomacy a betrayal, while Waldemar Buda, also from PiS, argued that it amounted to pressuring Poland over its borders.
Paweł Jabłoński, PiS MP, warned that questions would persist and promised further parliamentary inquiries. Radosław Fogiel, PiS MP, described the situation as a sense that negotiations were taking place behind the scenes. Other voices joined in; Michał Moskal, PiS MP, rejected the idea that Poland would simply have to accept the moves, and Jacek Sasin, PiS MP, claimed that Poland faced pressure to receive migrants from abroad. Przemysław Czarnek, Michał Dworczyk, and Dominik Tarczyński, all PiS MPs, weighed in with their own assessments of the diplomatic dynamics.
Experts and commentators weighed in on the legality and consequences of such actions. Professor Kamil Zaradkiewicz, a Supreme Court judge, described the situation as a case of unofficial diplomacy. TV Republika’s Sławomir Jastrzębowski posed questions about possible external influence. Dagmara Pałczyk-Woicka, chair of the National Court Register, warned about potential complications as EU relocation rules could take effect in mid-2026. Piotr Pałka, a former TVP journalist, urged readers to consider the risks to Poland, while Marcin Dobski of TV Republika commented on the political dynamics at play. The episode underscored ongoing tensions between Berlin and Warsaw as EU migration policy becomes a live, contested topic with real implications.
Overall, the debate highlighted how EU relocation rules and bilateral diplomacy intersect in a high-stakes political environment. It exposed how policy shifts in Berlin can reverberate through Warsaw and beyond, shaping public perception and future government actions on migration in Europe.