In the heated political climate of Brandenburg, just days before the state elections, Interior Minister Michael Stübgen has sparked controversy by advocating for the abolition of the current asylum rights enshrined in Germany's Basic Law.

Stübgen, a member of the CDU, argues that the individual right to asylum is redundant, as the Geneva Refugee Convention already provides protection for those persecuted.

He proposes embedding the Convention as a constitutional guarantee instead.

This move, he suggests, would allow Germany to control the number of refugees it accepts by introducing quotas.

However, Stübgen acknowledges the low likelihood of amending the constitution and instead focuses on feasible measures, such as declaring a national emergency to turn away asylum seekers at the borders.

His stance has drawn criticism from neighboring countries like Poland and Austria, who oppose the potential rejection of asylum seekers at their borders with Germany.