Germany extends temporary border controls, says Scholz

FILE PHOTO: A police officer holds a stop sign at a border with Denmark, as all German land borders are subject to random controls to protect internal security and reduce irregular migration, in Boeglum, Germany, September 16, 2024. REUTERS/Fabian Bimmer/File Photo

BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany has extended temporary border controls for six months and informed the European Union, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Wednesday as he tries to show his government is combating irregular migration less than two weeks before an election.

Germany reintroduced border checks in September as part of a tougher stance on migration and cross-border crime after a surge of arrivals, especially from people fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East.