German chancellor defends remarks on migrants suggesting citizens 'afraid to move around in public spaces'

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has doubled down on comments he made about migration, saying many Germans and Europeans are "afraid to move around in public spaces."

Merz has rejected criticism from some German political circles over his government’s tough stance on illegal immigration.

"But we still have this problem in the cityscape, of course, and that’s why the federal interior minister is facilitating and carrying out large-scale deportations," he said during a visit to Potsdam last week.

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German Chancellor Friedrich Merz sparked backlash while remarking about the country's migration policies.  (Thomas Traasdahl/Ritzau Scanpix via AP)

The statement prompted backlash, some accusing the German leader of being racist. He rejected the criticism while on the sidelines of a summit on the Western Balkans in London, saying migrants were "an indispensable part of our labor market," German-based DW News reported.

He also claimed that many people in Germany and across Europe are nonetheless "afraid to move around in public spaces" because of migrants "who do not have permanent residence status, do not work and do not abide by our rules," the outlet reported.

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Numerous demonstrators gather for a demonstration in Berlin Oct. 19, 2025, with the slogan "Brandmauer hoch!" ("We are the cityscape"), referring to a statement made by Chancellor Merz in reference to migration policy.   (Annette Riedl/picture alliance via Getty Images)

"I don’t know whether you have children. If you do, and there are daughters among them, ask your daughters what I might have meant. I suspect you’ll get a pretty clear and unambiguous answer. There’s nothing I need to retract," he said when asked if he would withdraw his earlier remarks.

Some have signed a petition disputing Merz’s comments. The signees include actor Marie Nasemann and environmental activist Luisa Neubauer.

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"There are approximately 40 million daughters in this country. We have a genuine interest in ensuring that our safety is taken seriously," Neubauer wrote on Instagram. "What we are not interested in is being misused as a pretext or justification for statements that were ultimately discriminatory, racist and deeply hurtful."