Political situation in Germany

Merz: Immigrants make many avoid city centers

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is in a storm after comments on immigration. The CDU leader is accused of racism and has received criticism from coalition partner the Social Democrats.

During a visit to Potsdam last week, Merz said that Germany is working hard to overcome illegal immigration.

– But we still have this problem in the city landscape and that is why the Interior Ministry is trying to carry out large-scale deportations.

The statement was heavily criticized, but when Merz was asked about it a few days later, he defended himself. He then claimed that many in Germany and in Europe are “afraid to move around in city centers” because of immigrants who “do not have a residence permit, who do not work and who do not follow our rules.”

– Ask your daughters what I may have meant [...] I do not need to take anything back, he said, according to Deutsche Welle.

200,000 protest – Merz calls comment “racism”

A petition against German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s comments on immigration has been signed by hundreds of thousands of Germans in two days, writes Deutsche Welle.

Merz has claimed that many in Germany avoid city centers because of the many undocumented immigrants who “do not follow our rules”. When he was asked critical questions about the statement, the answer was:

– Ask your daughters what I may have meant.

The petition “We are the daughters” was started on Tuesday and by Thursday evening had been signed by almost 200,000 people.

“We are the daughters, and we will not let ourselves be manipulated by your racism, Mr. Merz. You do not speak for us,” the statement reads.