German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has reiterated his stance on migration, asserting that both Germans and Europeans experience apprehension about navigating public spaces.

Merz has dismissed criticism from certain political groups in Germany regarding his administration’s stringent policies on illegal immigration.

“We continue to face this challenge within urban environments,” he commented last week during a visit to Potsdam, adding that the federal interior minister is actively organizing and executing significant deportation efforts.

His remarks have stirred controversy, with opponents labeling them as racist. Merz countered these allegations during a Western Balkans summit in London, emphasizing that migrants are “an essential component of our labor market,” according to German media outlet DW News.

Merz further noted that despite the contribution of migrants, many residents in Germany and other parts of Europe remain “afraid to move around in public spaces” due to individuals “who lack permanent residency, are unemployed, and disregard local regulations,” reported the news source.

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.

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.

“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.”