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German Chancellor Friedrich Merz reiterated his comments about migration, saying that many Germans and Europeans are “afraid to walk around in public places.”
Merz has rejected criticism from some German political circles over her government’s tough stance on illegal immigration.
“But of course we still have this problem in the urban landscape, and that is why the federal interior minister is facilitating and carrying out mass deportations,” he said during a visit to Potsdam last week.
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German Chancellor Friedrich Merz reacted sharply in comments about the country’s migration policies. (Thomas Trasdahl/Ritzau Scanpix via AP)
The statement sparked a backlash, with some accusing the German leader of being racist. He rejected the criticism on the sidelines of a summit on the Western Balkans in London, saying migrants were “an essential part of our labor market”, German-based DW News reported.
He also claimed that many people in Germany and across Europe are still “afraid to walk around in public places” because of migrants who “don’t have permanent residence status, don’t work and don’t follow our rules,” the outlet reported.
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Several protesters chant “Brandmauer Hoch!” in Berlin on October 19, 2025. Gathered for demonstration with slogans of Referring to a statement made by Chancellor Merz in the context of migration policy (“We are the landscape of the city”). (Image Combine via Annette Riedl/Getty Images)
When asked if he would retract his previous comments, he said, “I don’t know whether you have children or not. If you have children, and daughters among them, ask your daughters what I might mean. I doubt you would get a very clear and unambiguous answer. There is nothing that requires me to retract.”
Some people have signed a petition disputing Merz’s comments. Signatories include actor Marie Nassman and environmental activist Luisa Neubauer.
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“There are approximately 40 million daughters in this country. We have a genuine interest in making sure our safety is taken seriously,” Neubauer wrote on Instagram. “What we are not interested in is being misused as an excuse or justification for statements that were ultimately discriminatory, racist and extremely hurtful.”
