How Domestic Narratives and Policy Divergence Obstruct German-Polish Cooperation in Migration Policy

European migration governance is undergoing a profound coordination crisis, driven by increasingly divergent national strategies and intensifying domestic political polarisation. Taking Germany as a case study, this paper analyses how nationally embedded narratives and political priorities obstruct bilateral and multilateral cooperation on migration. It focuses on the interplay between domestic policymaking and international governance, demonstrating how internal political conflicts translate into tangible barriers to cooperation with Poland. The study, which is part of a new binational project on German-Polish cooperation in migration and security policy, identifies concrete mechanisms through which German migration policy choices complicate negotiation dynamics within the EU Migration and Asylum Pact. By examining this domestic–international nexus, the paper shows how competing political narratives in Germany weaken strategic coordination with Warsaw and entrench existing patterns of mistrust. It argues that effective migration governance cannot be achieved through EU-level institutional reform alone if domestic political dynamics at the national level continue to undermine coherent bilateral coordination. In doing so, the paper contributes new insights into the structural obstacles to developing an inclusive and effective EU migration policy in an increasingly strained security environment.