Bavarian leader Soeder takes softer line on migrants, opens asylum center

Governor of Bavaria Markus Soeder is striking a softer tone on refugees, saying he wants a “balance” between helping those entitled to asylum and swiftly deporting those who aren’t, AP reports. Soeder opened a center for asylum and repatriation on Friday. The move is part of the southern German state’s efforts to streamline asylum procedures, which sometimes take years. Soeder has been criticized for his tough stance on migration. The opening of the new asylum processing center in Manching, north of Munich, was accompanied by protests from pro-migrant groups. Recent opinion polls showed Soeder’s conservative Christian Social Union party getting under 40 percent of the vote ahead of state elections in October.