German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has doubled down on comments he made on migration, saying many Germans and Europeans are “afraid to move in public spaces.”
Merz has rejected criticism from some German political circles of his government’s tough stance on illegal immigration.
“But of course we still have this problem in the cityscape and that is why the Federal Minister of the Interior facilitates and carries out large-scale deportations,” he said during a visit to Potsdam last week.
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German Chancellor Friedrich Merz sparked backlash when he commented on the country’s migration policy. (Thomas Traasdahl/Ritzau Scanpix via AP)
The statement sparked reactions, with some accusing the German leader of being racist. He dismissed the criticism while on the sidelines of a Western Balkans summit in London, saying migrants were “an indispensable part of our labor market,” Germany-based DW News reported.
He also claimed that many people in Germany and across Europe are nevertheless “afraid to move in public spaces” because of migrants “who do not have permanent residency status, do not work and do not follow our rules,” the outlet reported.
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Numerous demonstrators gather for a demonstration in Berlin on October 19, 2025, with the slogan “Brandmauer hoch!” (“We are the cityscape”), referring to a statement by Chancellor Merz regarding migration policy. (Annette Riedl/photo alliance via Getty Images)
“I don’t know if you have children. If you do, and there are daughters among them, ask your daughters what I meant. I suspect you’ll get a pretty clear and unequivocal answer. I don’t have to retract anything,” he said when asked if he would retract his previous comments.
Some have signed a petition disputing Merz’s comments. Signatories include actor Marie Nasemann and environmental activist Luisa Neubauer.
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“There are approximately 40 million daughters in this country. We have a genuine interest in ensuring that our safety is taken seriously,” Neubauer wrote on Instagram. “What we are not interested in is being abused as a pretext or justification for statements that were ultimately discriminatory, racist and deeply hurtful.”
