A coalition of 50 prominent women from the fields of art, science, politics and civil society have issued a scathing open letter to CDU leader Friedrich Merz, demanding a renewed and substantive commitment to women’s safety and security. The letter, reported by “Der Spiegel”, directly confronts Merz’s recent comments regarding “urban landscapes” and his subsequent attempt to deflect criticism by suggesting consultation with women through their daughters.
The signatories argue that simply soliciting the opinions of daughters is a superficial response to a deeply rooted problem and worry that such vague assurances can be exploited to justify discriminatory and racist narratives. They insist on a serious, dedicated engagement with the complexities of gender-based violence and its intersection with systemic inequalities.
The open letter is spearheaded by Green Party politician Ricarda Lang, climate activist Luisa Neubauer, singer Joy Denalane, author Alice Hasters, economist Isabella Weber, actress Melika Foroutan, sociologist Jutta Allmendinger and writers Lena Gorelik and Mithu Sanyal, among others. The collective aims to leverage the recent debate surrounding urban spaces to amplify their demands for comprehensive women’s and migration policy reforms.
The letter outlines ten specific and assertive demands, moving beyond platitudes to propose tangible legislative and societal changes. These include strengthening the prosecution of sexualized and domestic violence, significant improvements in public lighting and surveillance, the formal recognition of femicide within the legal code and reliable data collection concerning violence against women. Other crucial demands focus on ensuring adequate funding for women’s shelters and safe spaces, a dedicated violence prevention law with proper resources and the explicit recognition of racist motivations in acts of violence.
Beyond physical safety, the signatories also advocate for protections against digital violence and online racism, championing the introduction of a legal right to bodily autonomy – including a reform of abortion laws – and initiatives to bolster women’s financial independence and combat age-related poverty.
The open letter, launched online, is designed to be accessible for broader signatory support, reflecting a strategic intent to capitalize on the current discourse to effectively advance their agenda. The women’s group expresses concern that vague promises offer little genuine protection or improvement and signals a desire to scrutinize the political actions that follow. The move represents a sharp challenge to the CDU and a call for a fundamental reassessment of the policies surrounding women’s safety and equality within Germany.
