German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has defended his government's efforts to turn away asylum seekers at the country's borders. He faces opposition criticism after a court ruled that the pushbacks were illegal.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Tuesday a court ruling that German authorities acted unlawfully when border police expelled three Somali asylum seekers could restrict his government's migration crackdown but would not stop it altogether.

Under pressure from the far right, Germany’s conservative chancellor had vowed to turn away asylum-seekers at the country’s borders.