Horst Seehofer reaches deal with Angela Merkel, drops threat to quit

TF-Images |  Getty Images

Chancellor Angela Merkel receives flowers by CSU leader Horst Seehofer on December 15, 2017 in Nuremberg, Germany. 

Germany’s interior minister Horst Seehofer dropped his threat to quit after hours of talks with Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrats (CDU), saying the two conservative parties had the tightened border controls he was demanding.

Seehofer, leader of the Bavarian Christian Social Union (CSU), had offered to step down from both his positions if Merkel did not consent to controls she opposes that would involve turning some migrants back at Germany’s border with Austria.

“After intensive discussions between the CDU and CSU we have reached an agreement on how we can in future prevent illegal immigration on the border between Germany and Austria,” he told reporters on leaving the CDU’s Berlin headquarters.