Friedrich Merz’s Government sent a clear message to anyone thinking about going to living in Germany: don’t. However its message to those who want to go to Germany in work is: we need you.
It may be a contradiction, but it is a mental restraint that drives the “guest worker” program in the postwar booming years. Between 1955 and 1973, West tapeworm It is intending to rebuild its economy by drawing work, which leads from Turkey but also from Italy, Portugal and Yugoslavia. However it is done without regard to human needs to come.
The experimental turns, and the social tensions it turned out, at this moment worse.
the Miracles in the economy (Economic miracles) The shortage of record growth and labor deficiency. Today, Germany’s economy is in recession, but it takes people so much to meet the main public services. Above all, it must help spending mounting pension pensions.
Given that Germany also turned to ground zero for raised European sensitivity around immigration after the backlash followed Merkel’s Open-dekel policy To the refugees of Syria a decade ago, the value of attention is how the Berlin navigates the issue. So far, Merz gives a masterclass to what’s not to do.
On one side, conservative chandling chandellor is promoting situations of narrative suggesting migration is a threat to the country. On the other hand, he spoke as a German business voice and begged for many foreign workers.
“We need skilled immigrants as drivers to progress,” Merz said This month, at a ceremony of honoring the contributions of Özlem Türeci and Uğur şarin – the immigrants Turkish behind the Covid Pioneer Bionech vaccine. He added that anti-immigration ideologies “are a threat to Germany simply in development” but severe well, their narrow mind threatening future order “.
But his government sent the exact type of signal he claimed decrit. Germany continued a new policy of rejection of asylum seekers in its boundaries, despite a court order calling it unlawful and violation of the EU law. The boundary rejections will come in spite of a dramatic decrease in refugees – until April 2025, the numbers fall almost half from last year.
Another leg of anti-manda-river Merz will put on a Finish “Turbo Naturalization”, that allows new opportunities to apply for a German passport after three years in selected cases. The official justification is that the citizenship end of the fast tracking of a “pulling cause” and reduce illegal migration.
But the acquisition of citizenship and wearing the migration of rules is not related to each other. Crossing the border as an irregular migrant can be an act of despair, and at times of opportunities. Taking a German passport requires legal residency at least, but also involves different hurdles and a significant amount of paperwork.
The method of tracking the fast becomes more discretion and reserved for people showing “unique efforts to participate”, which often pay taxes and engaged in the community of local charities or sports clubs.
Eliminate that route, which is only opened on June 2024, has a little effect. In the last year – if the rush of exploitation of the new process can be expected – only 7% of people receiving German citizenship has a fast application, according to Federal Statistics Agency Destis.
But Merz’s movements reinforce the account that Germany was overwhelmed by newbies. The method of bolts at the distance right AFD – a close second of the polls – with called for expulsion of thousands of people, including some of the migrant background holding German citizenship.
Entry control is legitimate, but more fuel policies in xenophobic feelings and cannot prevent concerns with concerned citizens. Also, political divisions are limited.
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While the detached discussion around migration is hiding this issue for Germans, only 38% of people rule as one of their three points lower than in April, According to an IPSOS survey. Economic concerns such as inflation and poverty / inequality are other leading concerns.
The more face-to-face face is that Germany can use all the help it gets. With older Germans heading to retirement In millions In the coming decade, the country must accept a net 400,000 new newcomers Each year to keep things balanced and shoulder the increase in cost of pensions.
But this is not the postwar era, where Germany can sign agreements with the poorest countries and expected thousands to come. There are global competitions for qualified workers, and Germany is in a disability because of its language and its reputation without recovering.
That is a heritage from mismanaged Guest job . It also shows a national identity remaining narrow and unscrewed because of Nazi’s past.
The former footballer Mesut Özil, was born in 1988 in a Turkish Travel family in the Rahr Valley in Germany, never feeling. Although he played a star paper in the 2014 World Cup Cup, he said: “If we win, I am a German; if we are a foreigner.”
Her story shows how to get to the crowd. And it doesn’t go alone. According to In a recent study Through Friedrich Ebert Foundation, between 2015 and 2022, 12 million people moved to Germany. The study also said that, at the same time, more than 7 million migrants were left again. The main reasons are the difficulties that feel about German society.
The next blow can progress. According to a study by German Institute of Work Researcha quarter of country migrants – about 2.6 million people – thinking about packing packing and leaving.
Solitary solitude of one’s own solitude leads to a slow rugging of labor force unless it is motivated to be intended. Changing the account around migration to replace it as part of the solution can be a great start point.
But political class is almost unprepared. As Markus Söder said, the conservative premier of Bavaria, recently told the Outlet outlet niius: “Of course we need immigration – Unfortunately.”
Chris Repeiter and Wilkes were the co-authors of the Damaged Republic: The story inside Germany’s background in the crisis. Both cover Germany from Berlin and Frankfurt, indeed, for Bloomberg News
