German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande have urged fellow EU leaders to unite to resolve the ongoing refugee crisis, the continent’s most serious since the second World War.
Merkel warned leaders of the dangers of succumbing to nationalism at a meeting of the European Parliament in Strasbourg today.
“In the refugee crisis, we must not succumb to the temptation of falling back into acting in nationalistic terms … national solo efforts are no solution to the refugee crisis,” Merkel stated.
Merkel called existing EU rules on asylum “obsolete”, as they place a burden on EU states where people arrive first to process claims for refugee status.
The German leader spoke after France’s Hollande, who told EU leaders they risked the “end of Europe” if member states failed to remain united to tackle the refugee, euro currency and other crises.
“We need not less Europe but more Europe. Europe must affirm itself, otherwise we will see the end of Europe – our demise,” Hollande said during the address.