Overview
- At a Berlin press conference, the chancellor said he had “nothing to take back” and suggested parents “ask your daughters” what he meant by problems visible in cities.
- SPD General Secretary Tim Klüssendorf accused Merz of conflating issues and dividing the country, saying such rhetoric erodes public trust.
- Dennis Radtke, head of the CDU’s social wing, urged a different style from Merz and argued deportations would not fix city problems like drug addiction, homelessness and youth posturing.
- Support came from CSU figures Alexander Dobrindt and Markus Söder, and from JU leader Johannes Winkel, while Baden‑Württemberg CDU leader Manuel Hagel called for verbal de‑escalation and a focus on concrete urban security measures.
- Green politicians intensified criticism with an open letter labeling the phrase discriminatory, and protests and street‑level reactions in Berlin reflected both safety concerns and pushback against stigmatizing language.