New measures to curb migration to Germany agreed by Chancellor Scholz and state governors

BERLIN (AP) — Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Germany’s 16 state governors have agreed on new, stricter measures in an effort to curb the large number of migrants coming to the country. The compromise on the issue, that has become a huge political problem for the government and a hot-button topic in society, came after an overnight meeting that lasted several hours and ended only in the early morning hours of Tuesday. The new measures include speeding up asylum procedures, benefit restrictions for asylum seekers and more financial aid from the federal government for the states and local communities dealing with the influx. Scholz called the agreement “a historical moment” — a remark that showed how much of a burden the topic had become for the government.