Germany to impose border controls after far-right election victory in eastern states

Such was the shock of elections in two eastern German states – with one more to come at the end of the month – that the government of Olaf Scholz is introducing measures that go against the very grain of the EU’s most sacred principal: the freedom of movement and the Schengen Agreement.

From Monday, Germany will impose border controls affecting all nine of its neighbouring countries.

Some, like Poland, have complained bitterly.

It’s all designed to reduce the appeal of the far right AFD party, or Alternative for Germany, which won in Saxony and is leading in the polls in Brandenburg, where we spent some time.