Portrait of Angela Merkel
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Angela Merkel on Immigration

Pragmatic welcome, then restriction (strong) Position evolved

TL;DR

Angela Merkel's stance on immigration centered on a pragmatic, open welcome during the 2015 crisis, followed by a shift toward integration and border control.

Key Points

  • In August 2015, she stated, "we can do this," a core slogan of Germany's Willkommenskultur during the peak of the European migrant crisis.

  • In 2016, her government struck a deal with Turkey to reduce refugee arrivals in the EU via Greece in exchange for financial aid.

  • By October 2017, she conceded to a compromise with her Bavarian sister party to cap annual refugee entries at 200,000, framing the prior openness as exceptional.

Summary

Angela Merkel's core position on immigration was defined by her 2015 declaration during the European migrant crisis, encapsulated by the phrase "wir schaffen das" (we can do this), signaling a commitment to accepting a large influx of asylum seekers, predominantly from Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan. This approach established a temporary 'welcoming culture' but simultaneously sparked intense internal political division within her party and a surge for the anti-immigration Alternative für Deutschland. Her government subsequently focused on pragmatic solutions, including efforts to reduce the overall number of new arrivals through a controversial 2016 deal with Turkey to stem the flow from Greece.

Following the initial crisis, her government's policy evolved to emphasize integration for those permitted to remain, introducing measures like the 2016 Integration Law focusing on work and language classes. However, this phase was characterized by conflicting signals, balancing the need for skilled foreign labor with a growing demand for cultural assimilation and restrictive asylum laws. By late 2017, Merkel agreed, for the first time, to cap annual refugee intake, suggesting a move to reassert control over entries, though she maintained that the 2015 opening was an exceptional, necessary measure.

Key Quotes

I believe she has steered Germany in a more progressive direction.

Frequently Asked Questions

Angela Merkel's most famous statement on immigration was 'Wir schaffen das,' which translates to 'we can manage this' or 'we can do this.' She made this declaration in August 2015 at the height of the European migrant crisis to express confidence in Germany's ability to handle the influx of people. The phrase became both a defining symbol of her refugee policy and a subject of intense domestic and international debate.

Yes, Angela Merkel later indicated that the phrase was perhaps overstated and stated she preferred not to repeat it, acknowledging that too much was being read into the motto. Despite this, she maintained that the 2015 opening of borders was an exceptional measure for an exceptional crisis. She continued to defend the underlying attitude of solidarity, emphasizing that the collective 'we' was capable of overcoming the challenge.

Merkel's government eventually recognized the need for skilled workers due to Germany's aging population. Her party called for a 'welcoming culture for bright minds' in their 2013 manifesto. This led to the Fachkräfteeinwanderungsgesetz in 2019, which aimed to streamline the hiring of qualified workers from outside the EU, though it included hurdles like mandatory German language proficiency.