Luxembourg parliament calls for end to border checks

Luxembourg lawmakers have called for an end to border checks implemented by France and Germany in recent months, during a debate in parliament on Thursday.

Deputies discussed the legitimacy of the extra controls, passing a motion which stated that they cannot be extended as the requirements to continue checks are not met.

“We can’t allow border controls to become the norm,” said LSAP politician Yves Cruchten as he presented his motion to fellow MPs.

The motion called on the issue of the legitimacy of border controls within the EU to be raised with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, in order to protect the Schengen treaty, and to study the possibility of legally contesting the re-introduction of checks.

The checks introduced by Germany in September and France at the start of this month should only be seen as a last resort, but have regularly been introduced by EU member states over the past years, Cruchten explained.

In addition, the checks, through which Luxembourg’s neighbouring countries are hoping to fight threats such as terrorism and people smuggling, are costly and time-consuming, Cruchten argued. Their necessity has also yet to be proven, as so far only 49 people have been refused entry to Germany from Luxembourg, he said.

The Schengen treaty, signed nearly 40 years ago in the Luxembourg border village from which it takes its name, allows people to freely travel within the bloc. Countries are only allowed to implement a border control – for a maximum of six months at a time – if they need to strengthen internal security.

Stronger external checks needed

Deputies for most parties supported the LSAP’s motion, with the CSV’s Stéphanie Weydert reminding lawmakers that “cross-border workers are essential to the wellbeing of our country” and that illegal immigration should not be used as an excuse for additional checks.

“We won’t solve the migration issue with individual border checks within Schengen,” she said, adding that the EU’s member states need to strengthen their external borders together in a collective effort.

Gusty Graas, from the DP, called the treaty “one of the main pillars of the EU” and said it was “deplorable to see it weaken.”

“We cannot fall back into the logic of the national states,” he said, echoing Weydert’s remarks about the vulnerability of Luxembourg’s economy in the face of closed borders, and calling for stronger collaboration on controls on the bloc’s external borders.

Green deputy Meris Sehovic questioned the validity of the current border controls, which he said did not fulfil the necessary requirements, adding that many Luxembourg businesses and sectors rely on cross-border workers. Systematically introducing border controls across the all EU countries would end up costing member states more than €100 billion, Sehovic said.

Smaller opposition parties also backed the motion, with Pirate Party leader Sven Clement warning about the extra checks instilling a fear of foreigners, and déi Lénk’s Marc Baum stating that “Luxembourg is the EU country that’s the most reliant on Schengen.”

The only party to vote against the motion was the far-right ADR, which through its speaker Tom Weidig, stated that citizens had lost their trust in the Schengen treaty and that countries needed to take “real action” to bring it back.

Ministers want to keep Schengen alive

Schengen must remain alive, in part for the economic wellbeing of the Grand Duchy, but stronger checks on the EU’s external borders are necessary, said Home Affairs Minister Léon Gloden during his address in parliament.

“We as a government are against inner border controls and want to strengthen external borders,” he stated.

While Gloden vowed legal intervention from the government if the border checks are extended beyond their six-month span, he also justified the country’s collaboration with France on checks, as “it’s also important […] to show other countries that we’re ready to work together.”

Schengen is also about keeping down mental barriers, and these must remain down, Gloden said.

Foreign Affairs Minister Xavier Bettel backed up his cabinet colleague, adding that the treaty would crumble “if we don’t react and if we take it for granted.”

There needs to be “internal solidarity” between EU countries when it comes to dealing with immigration, Bettel said. “We need a mechanism that works,” he continued, urging people not to give in to populism and the fear of the other it instils.

A total of 55 deputies voted in favour of the motion, while five voted against it.

Recognition of Palestine postponed again

Following the debate on Schengen, deputies discussed the immediate recognition of Palestine as a state at the behest of déi Lénk politician David Wagner.

Much like in May, the majority of deputies – 42 in total – voted the motion down, while 18 voted in favour of it. Bettel argued that a recognition of Palestine at this point would simply be symbolic and not result in concrete changes.

Instead, the majority adopted a motion that encourages efforts to work together to bring peace to the Middle-East, and to begin discussions to recognise Palestine as a state once hostages have been released by Hamas and a lasting peace agreement has been introduced.

In their remarks, Bettel, as well as several deputies, agreed that the Israeli government’s response to the 7 October attack by Hamas was disproportionate.

Earlier in the year, the government ignored an appeal led by Spain, Malta, Ireland and Slovenia to recognise Palestine as a state, with both Bettel and Prime Minister Luc Frieden saying that the timing wasn’t right.