Germany’s approach to migration and crime is under the microscope as the country faces mounting pressure from both domestic critics and international partners. The debate has reached a fever pitch in recent weeks, fueled by controversial remarks from Chancellor Friedrich Merz and uncertainty over Berlin’s promised crackdown on small-boat smuggling networks that facilitate illegal crossings to the United Kingdom.
On October 17, 2025, Chancellor Merz visited Potsdam and doubled down on his government’s commitment to toughening migration policy. He declared the primary aim was to “combat illegal immigration,” but it was his subsequent comment that set off a political firestorm: “But we still have this problem in the cityscape, of course, and that’s why the federal interior minister is facilitating and carrying out large-scale deportations.” According to Deutsche Welle, this offhand remark was swiftly condemned as racist by opposition parties and members of Merz’s own coalition, with many accusing him of echoing the rhetoric of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.
Critics from the Greens, the Left Party, and even Merz’s center-left coalition partners, the SPD, accused the chancellor of stoking prejudice and furthering division by linking urban diversity to crime and suggesting deportation as the solution. They argued that his comments unfairly blamed Germany’s diverse urban populations for high crime rates and social problems. Merz, however, stood his ground. When pressed by reporters, he responded, “I don’t know whether you have children. If you do, and there are daughters among them, ask your daughters what I might have meant. I suspect you’ll get a pretty clear and unambiguous answer. There’s nothing I need to retract.” He insisted that many Germans, especially women, shared his concerns about safety in public spaces, stating, “Ask your children, ask your daughters, ask your friends and relatives. They will all confirm that this is a problem — once it gets dark, if not before.”
Public reaction to Merz’s comments was swift and intense. Thousands joined protests in Berlin, marching with groups like Together Against the Right. A petition titled “We are the Daughters” was launched, collecting nearly 200,000 signatures in just two days. The petition’s preamble challenged Merz directly: “We are the daughters, and we won’t allow ourselves to be manipulated by your racism, Mr. Merz! You don’t speak for us.” Among the signatories were prominent figures like actor Marie Nasemann and environmental activist Luisa Neubauer. Neubauer, writing on Instagram, said, “There are approximately 40 million daughters in this country. We have a genuine interest in ensuring that our safety is taken seriously. What we are not interested in is being misused as a pretext or justification for statements that were ultimately discriminatory, racist and deeply hurtful.”
The controversy also reignited debate over crime statistics and their relation to migration. Official figures from the Federal Criminal Police Office for 2024, cited by Deutsche Welle, show that for every 100,000 German citizens, 1,878 committed a crime, compared with 5,091 among non-German residents. Criminologist Susanne Karstedt explained that this higher rate is largely attributable to young male refugees, many of whom have fled war zones and suffer from trauma and isolation. Still, Karstedt emphasized that Germany remains “a very safe country,” noting that crime rates have declined since the 1980s and 1990s.
Within the government, voices urged caution. SPD Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil warned, “We have to be very careful what kind of discussion we initiate when we suddenly divide people into ‘us’ and ‘them,’ into people with a family history of migration and those without.” Even within Merz’s CDU party, some questioned the wisdom of his remarks. Senior CDU member Dennis Radtke acknowledged that some urban areas feel unsafe but argued, “To imply that deportations would change that is simplistic, raises unrealistic expectations, and fails to reflect the complexity of the issue.” SPD general secretary Tim Klüssendorf, speaking on n-tv, stressed that conflating crime and migration risked alienating people with migrant backgrounds: “When I think what this must feel like for people who have come here from elsewhere, whose parents came here, who aren’t white or who look different from Friedrich Merz [...] it’s not a pleasant feeling. I think we should avoid that.”
While Germany’s internal debate raged, the country’s migration policies faced scrutiny from abroad. According to the BBC, Germany had pledged to close a legal loophole that, post-Brexit, made it technically legal to facilitate people-smuggling to third countries like the UK. This commitment followed a BBC investigation that exposed how Germany had become a hub for small-boat smugglers, who stored dinghies destined for illegal English Channel crossings. Nearly a year ago, Berlin announced it would introduce legislation to criminalize such activities, a move welcomed by the UK government as “further evidence” that international collaboration could bear fruit.
But as of October 24, 2025, doubts have emerged about whether Germany will deliver on its promise by the end of the year. The Interior Ministry now says only that it intends to introduce the bill to parliament by the end of 2025, stopping short of guaranteeing final approval. A spokesperson told the BBC that the federal government has “no influence” over the parliamentary process once a bill is agreed by cabinet. British officials are increasingly uncertain whether there is enough time left in the Bundestag’s calendar to pass the law this year, though the UK Home Office maintains it has not been notified of any setbacks by Berlin. A Bundestag staffer tracking the proposal admitted there might “theoretically” be a window for passage but acknowledged it does not appear to be a government priority at present.
The proposed law aims to expand criminal liability for cross-border human smuggling to the United Kingdom. Currently, German investigators must rely on “collateral crimes” such as violence or money laundering, or seek judicial orders from other countries to carry out raids on suspected smuggling operations. The law change, if enacted, would give German prosecutors “more tools to tackle the supply and storage of dangerous small boats equipment,” according to the British government. Chancellor Merz himself expressed confidence in July that the legislation could be enacted quickly after the summer recess, but as the year draws to a close, that optimism is fading.
The international dimension adds pressure on the UK’s Labour government, which is banking on closer cooperation with European partners to stem the tide of small-boat crossings. France, for its part, is reportedly retreating from a recent pledge to intervene more forcefully at sea to stop migrant boats, further complicating the UK’s efforts.
As Germany grapples with its approach to migration, crime, and international obligations, the heated debate reveals deep divisions—over how to keep the country safe, how to treat newcomers, and how to balance domestic concerns with cross-border responsibilities. With the clock ticking on legislative deadlines and public protests refusing to abate, Berlin’s next moves will be closely watched in both London and Brussels.