Overview
- A YouGov survey reported by WELT finds 58% of respondents agree with Merz’s assessment, including 50% of SPD supporters, with higher approval among older and non‑urban respondents.
- SPD leaders, including party chief Lars Klingbeil, criticize the wording as divisive, while demonstrations against the “Stadtbild” remark continue across Germany this weekend.
- CDU parliamentary leader Jens Spahn rebukes claims of ‘racist narratives’ within the governing coalition and urges partners to avoid mutual accusations to preserve workable cooperation.
- Fresh FAZ reporting cites Frankfurt police data showing non‑German suspects account for 75.1% of cases on the Zeil, with elevated shares for knife offenses (60.5%), sexual offenses (65.1%) and robbery (76.3%) in the inner city; Hesse’s interior ministry touts an ‘Innenstadtoffensive’ of police presence and checks.
- Leipzig mayor Burkhard Jung calls for prevention, affordable housing, stronger local policing and integration measures, rejecting approaches that single out groups and reframing the issue beyond the ‘cityscape’ label.