Editing Angela Merkel (section)

==== 2018 government crisis ====
{{Main|2018 German government crisis}}
As part of the newly formed government, the CSU's [[Horst Seehofer]] took over the role of Interior Minister.<ref>{{Cite news |date=16 March 2018 |title=Facing far-right challenge, minister says Islam 'doesn't belong' to Germany |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-germany-politics-islam-idUSKCN1GS12V |url-status=live |access-date=3 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230603190447/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-germany-politics-islam-idUSKCN1GS12V |archive-date=3 June 2023}}</ref> Seehofer announced that he had a "master plan for faster asylum procedures, and more consistent deportations."<ref name="Germany's future interior minister Horst Seehofer vows to increase deportations">{{cite news |date=11 March 2018 |title=Germany's future interior minister Horst Seehofer vows to increase deportations |publisher=Deusche Welle |url=http://www.dw.com/en/germanys-future-interior-minister-horst-seehofer-vows-to-increase-deportations/a-42925097 |url-status=live |access-date=16 March 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180316023833/http://www.dw.com/en/germanys-future-interior-minister-horst-seehofer-vows-to-increase-deportations/a-42925097 |archive-date=16 March 2018}}</ref> Under Seehofer's plan, Germany would immediately reject prospective immigrants who had already been deported or were subject to an entry ban. Additionally, the police would be instructed to turn away all applicants who had previously registered elsewhere in the EU, no matter if these countries agreed to take them back.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Germany: Interior minister gives Merkel ultimatum on migrants |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/6/19/germany-interior-minister-gives-merkel-ultimatum-on-migrants |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211130172114/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/6/19/germany-interior-minister-gives-merkel-ultimatum-on-migrants |archive-date=30 November 2021 |access-date=12 November 2020 |website=Al Jazeera}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=18 June 2018 |title=Germany's interior minister Horst Seehofer wants quick action on migrants|work=The Telegraph |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/world/germany-s-interior-minister-horst-seehofer-wants-quick-action-on-migra-dgtl-238561 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180618194454/https://www.telegraphindia.com/world/germany-s-interior-minister-horst-seehofer-wants-quick-action-on-migra-dgtl-238561 |archive-date=18 June 2018 |access-date=24 August 2021}}</ref> Merkel feared that unilaterally sending migrants back to neighbouring countries without seeking a multilateral European agreement could endanger the stability of the European Union.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Rankin |first1=Jennifer |last2=Oltermann |first2=Philip |date=28 June 2018 |title=Future of EU hinges on solving migration issue, says Merkel |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jun/28/future-of-eu-hinges-on-solving-migration-issue-says-merkel |url-status=live |access-date=8 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230109080406/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jun/28/future-of-eu-hinges-on-solving-migration-issue-says-merkel |archive-date=9 January 2023 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

In June 2018, Seehofer issued an ultimatum to Merkel; as Interior Minister, he could unilaterally implement the policy without her support. Although he eventually agreed to cooperate with Merkel while she negotiated with other EU member countries, he went on to reject the EU agreement that she obtained.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Merkel handed two-week ultimatum in migrant row |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/6/19/germany-interior-minister-gives-merkel-ultimatum-on-migrants|date=19 June 2018 |access-date=25 June 2023 |website=Al Jazeera |archive-date=22 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210422131511/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/6/19/germany-interior-minister-gives-merkel-ultimatum-on-migrants |url-status=live}}</ref> On 1 July 2018, during a meeting with party leadership, Seehofer declared his intention to resign from his position in protest.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Merkel coalition crisis: Seehofer offers to quit over migration |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/7/2/merkel-coalition-crisis-seehofer-offers-to-quit-over-migration |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211130172132/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/7/2/merkel-coalition-crisis-seehofer-offers-to-quit-over-migration |archive-date=30 November 2021 |access-date=12 November 2020 |website=Al Jazeera|date=2 July 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2 July 2018 |title=Germany migrants: Key Merkel ally Seehofer threatens to quit |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-44674945 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200919222235/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-44674945 |archive-date=19 September 2020 |access-date=16 September 2020 |work=BBC News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last1=Oltermann |first1=Philip |last2=Chrisafis |first2=Angelique |last3=Connolly |first3=Kate |date=2 July 2018 |title=Merkel and Seehofer make last-ditch bid for migration compromise |url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jul/01/merkel-fights-to-save-coalition-from-division-over-migration |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109031344/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jul/01/merkel-fights-to-save-coalition-from-division-over-migration |archive-date=9 November 2020 |access-date=12 November 2020 |work=The Guardian}}</ref> During the night of 2 July 2018, Seehofer and Merkel announced they had settled their differences and agreed to instead accept a compromise of tighter border control.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Thomas |first1=Andrea |last2=Marson |first2=James |date=2 July 2018 |title=Germany's Merkel Secures Deal on Migrants, Averts Government Collapse |work=The Wall Street Journal |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/merkel-faces-showdown-over-migrant-policy-1530539359 |url-status=live |access-date=16 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200918135210/https://www.wsj.com/articles/merkel-faces-showdown-over-migrant-policy-1530539359 |archive-date=18 September 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Schmidt |first1=Nadine |last2=Vonberg |first2=Judith |date=2 July 2018 |title=Germany's Merkel makes deal with interior minister on migration dispute |work=[[CNN International| CNN International Edition]] |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2018/07/02/europe/merkel-seehofer-government-intl/index.html?no-st=1530570558 |url-status=live |access-date=3 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180703050420/https://edition.cnn.com/2018/07/02/europe/merkel-seehofer-government-intl/index.html?no-st=1530570558 |archive-date=3 July 2018}}</ref> As a result of the agreement, Seehofer agreed to not resign,<ref>{{Cite web |date=3 July 2018 |title=Germany migrants: Merkel averts coalition government split |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-44685727 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109041134/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-44685727 |archive-date=9 November 2020 |access-date=16 September 2020 |work=BBC News}}</ref> and to negotiate bilateral agreements with the specific countries himself. Seehofer received some criticism for his stance in the crisis.<ref>{{Cite web |date=6 September 2018 |title=Migration: Kritik an Horst Seehofer |url=https://www.sueddeutsche.de/politik/seehofer-kritik-1.4118914 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210219125748/https://www.sueddeutsche.de/politik/seehofer-kritik-1.4118914 |archive-date=19 February 2021 |access-date=8 June 2023 |website=Süddeutsche.de |language=de}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=6 September 2018 |title=Scharfe Kritik an Horst Seehofers Äußerungen über Migration |language=de |work=FAZ.NET |url=https://www.faz.net/aktuell/politik/inland/scharfe-kritik-an-horst-seehofers-aeusserungen-ueber-migration-15773928.html |url-status=live |access-date=8 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221206015557/https://www.faz.net/aktuell/politik/inland/scharfe-kritik-an-horst-seehofers-aeusserungen-ueber-migration-15773928.html |archive-date=6 December 2022 |issn=0174-4909}}</ref>