Polish–German border crisis
The 2025 Polish–German border crisis is an ongoing crisis between Germany and Poland, sparked by claims of illegal migration encouraged by the German police.
Background
As Poland, Germany, and Lithuania are part of the Schengen area, border controls between them can only be carried out in exceptional circumstances. Typically, there is a free movement policy allowing people to cross borders within the zone. Since 2023, Germany has had controls at its borders with Poland and the Czech Republic in response to illegal migration. In 2024, the control was extended to all German borders.Crisis
On July 3, 2025, former Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki stated that "The Polish western border is attacked by German services, through the flood of illegal immigrants", and that the Polish–German border must be protected by the inhabitants themselves, suggesting that police patrols, also Polish–German, are hostile to Polish citizens. Since then, numerous groups, called "Citizen Patrols", such as the Ruch Obrony Granic, have emerged, engaging in vigilante border control. The then President-elect, Karol Nawrocki has thanked Robert Bąkiewicz for establishing the ROG.The border protests have received support from the Confederation and Law and Justice parties, which have also condemned the alleged lack of response by Prime Minister Donald Tusk and the government.