10/21/2025October 21, 2025
Merz’ ‘cityscape’ comment: criticism of chancellor continues
German Chancellor is continuing to face criticism for his controversial remarks last week, in which he insinuated that migrants and refugees have had a negative impact on the physical appearance of German towns.
After facing immediate backlash, Merz doubled down on his comments on Monday, urging people to “ask your daughters” what he meant. This has been slammed by some as racist for implying that immigrant men are more likely to commit sexual harassment or other crimes — .
Tim Klüssendorfbei, the general secretary of the , the junior partner in the coalition government alongside Merz’s conservative alliance, said it was fine to discuss problems in Germany, but warned against simplifications and generalizations.
“Linking everything back to a single issue, the issue of migration, and conflating and generalizing everything – that just divides people and destroys trust,” he told ntv, adding: “I have higher expectations of a head of government.”
Similar criticism was voiced from within Merz’s own CDU, with one senior lawmaker, Dennis Radtke, calling for a more appropriate style from the chancellor. Merz is no longer a “commentator on edge of the action, throwing out opinions,” he told the Funke media group.
Rather, Merz has a “particular responsibility for the cohesiveness of our society and our debate culture.”
While there may be certain issues in some parts of , Radtke cautioned that “problems like drug addiction, homelessness or toxic masculinity among young people can’t simply be deported; they have to be dealt with properly.”
The post Germany updates: Merz ‘cityscape’ criticism continues appeared first on Deutsche Welle.
