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German Chancellor Friedrich Merz doubled down on his comments about immigrants, saying many Germans and Europeans were “afraid of walking around in public places.”
Merz rejected criticism from some German politicians about his government's tough stance on illegal immigration.
“Of course we still have this problem in our urban landscape, which is why the federal interior minister is promoting and implementing mass evictions,” he said during a visit to Potsdam last week.
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German Chancellor Friedrich Merz sparked a backlash when he commented on the country's immigration policy. (Thomas Trasdahl/Ritzau Scanpix via AP)
The announcement sparked a backlash, with some accusing the German leader of being racist. He dismissed the criticism on the sidelines of the Western Balkans Summit in London, saying immigrants were “an integral part of our labor market,” Deutsche Welle reported.
He also claimed that many people in Germany and across Europe are still “afraid to move around in public” because immigrants “do not have permanent residence status, do not work and do not abide by our rules,” the outlet reported.
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On October 19, 2025, numerous demonstrators gathered in Berlin for a demonstration under the slogan “Brandmauer hoch!” (“We are the cityscape”), referring to Chancellor Merz's statement on immigration policy. (Annette Riedl/Photo Alliance via Getty Images)
When asked if he would retract his previous remarks, he said: “I don't know if you have children. If you do, and there's a daughter among them, ask your daughter what I mean. I think you'll get a very clear and unambiguous answer. I have nothing to take back.”
Several people signed a petition challenging Meltz's remarks. Signatories include actress Mary Nasman and environmental activist Louisa Neubauer.
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“There are approximately 40 million daughters in this country. What we really care about is 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 comments that are ultimately discriminatory, racist and deeply hurtful.”