German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Tuesday defended his government's migration crackdown as vital to "protect public safety", a day after a court ruled one of its flagship measures was illegal.

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

A Berlin court ruled that Germany’s controversial move to refuse entry to some asylum seekers is unlawful in a setback for Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s tougher stance on migration.