(Reuters) The new leader of Germany’s ruling Christian Democrats, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, unveiled plans for a tightening of immigration rules, part of a move to distance the party under her leadership from her mentor and predecessor, Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Some of the proposals, including plans for “intelligent spot checks” at German borders for as long as the European Union’s external borders are not secured, could strain ties with her Social Democrat (SPD) coalition partners.
But officials hope the plans, announced after two days of internal party discussions to which Merkel was not invited, will show the party has moved on from the chancellor’s signature decision to let in over a million refugees in 2015.
