Mirz says that Europeans fear "public places" because of immigration
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz sparked a new wave of controversy after his statements in which he said that many Germans and Europeans "are afraid to move in public places" because of migrants who "do not work and do not adhere to the rules." His statements have been widely described as racist and provocative, and his critics accused him of adopting far-right anti-immigration rhetoric.
Mirts's statements came during his visit to the city of Potsdam, where he spoke about tightening immigration policies and accelerating the deportation of irregular migrants. However, his remarks took a controversial turn when he referred to what he called "problems in the urban landscape" due to migrants. His opponents said that this description unjustly targets minorities and fuels social division.
In response to the criticism, Merz refused to retract his statements, emphasizing that many Germans share his concerns. He explained to reporters at his party's headquarters in Berlin: "If you have daughters, ask them what I meant, you will get a clear answer." He added that fear in public places is a "real thing," especially "when darkness falls."
His statements sparked a wave of protests across Germany, with thousands taking to the streets under the slogan "Together Against the Right." An online campaign titled "We Are Girls" was also launched, gathering around 200,000 signatures in rejection of Merz's justification of women's fears using anti-immigrant rhetoric. Prominent figures such as actress Marie Nasemann and environmental activist Luisa Neubauer participated in signing the petition, accusing Merz of "exploiting the issue of women's safety to justify racist statements."
A survey conducted by the Civey Institute showed that only one-third of participants considered Merz's statements to be racist, while 59% did not. However, politicians from various parties warned that dividing people into categories of 'us' and 'them' based on origin or appearance would exacerbate divisions within German society.