The opposition Left party has launched a scathing rebuke of Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s recent comments regarding migration and urban landscapes, accusing him of revealing a “deeply dehumanizing worldview”. Heidi Reichinnek, parliamentary group leader for the Left, characterized Merz’s assertion that large-scale deportations are necessary to address perceived “problems in the cityscape” as profoundly problematic and indicative of a broader ideological shift within the ruling CDU party.
Reichinnek argued that Merz’s statement effectively equates individuals with migration backgrounds – many of whom were born in Germany or have made the country their home – with unwanted elements within the nation’s appearance. She dismissed attempts to downplay the remarks, particularly the subsequent claim that they were made as party leader and not as Chancellor. “Neither the Chancellor nor the leader of a party claiming democratic values should utter such openly racist statements” Reichinnek stated in an interview with “The Tagesspiegel”.
The Left politician forcefully criticized the Chancellor’s failure to apologize for the comments, calling it “shameless and incomprehensible”. She positioned the remarks as symptomatic of a broader trend, quipping, “You can’t even call this a slip-up anymore, when the train is already heading sharply to the right.
Beyond the immediate controversy, Reichinnek voiced serious concerns about the long-term impact on German society. She warned that Merz’s pronouncements actively undermine national cohesion and are increasingly positioning the CDU as a feeder organization for far-right factions. “He is massively jeopardizing the cohesion of this country” she declared, accusing Merz of actively stoking a toxic and divisive public debate while neglecting his constitutional duty to protect marginalized groups from discrimination.
