Overview
- The chancellor reiterated he has “nothing to take back,” doubling down on linking visible urban problems to stepped-up returns.
- SPD general secretary Tim Klüssendorf accused Merz of pauschalizing issues through migration rhetoric that erodes trust, with integration commissioner Natalie Pawlik cautioning against stigmatization.
- CDU social wing leader Dennis Radtke urged a different tone, saying problems like drug addiction, homelessness and juvenile posturing cannot be deported and calling for empathetic communication.
- Baden‑Württemberg CDU leader Manuel Hagel pressed for verbal de‑escalation, while a CDU board discussion included pleas for more sensitive phrasing as supporters in the CSU and the Junge Union defended Merz’s assessment.
- Public response ranged from protests in Berlin and sharp criticism by Kassel’s mayor to commentary rejecting the racism label, reflecting a polarized debate over language and migration policy.