Friedrich​ Merz, leader of the Christian Democratic ⁢Union (CDU), sparked controversy following ‌remarks made at a press ⁤conference in Potsdam regarding migration ⁣policy⁤ and ​the rise of the‌ Option for‍ Germany (AfD). When questioned about ‌strategies ⁤to counter the ⁣AfD,⁤ Merz stated that progress had been made, but acknowledged, “But ⁤of‍ course ⁣we still have this problem in the cityscape and that’s why the Federal Minister of‍ the Interior ​is now in the ⁢process of making repatriations possible on⁢ a very large ⁤scale.”

The statement quickly drew criticism on social media platforms, with many ⁤interpreting it as a⁢ negative⁣ portrayal of migrants and a call ‍for widespread deportations.

Defence of ​Merz’s Position

johannes⁢ Kornelius,​ a spokesman for the CDU, responded ‍to the‌ accusations, ⁢defending Merz ‍against claims of racism. Kornelius asserted that ​the Chancellor was not the target of such accusations and emphasized Merz’s long-held position ⁣that migration policy should focus on ⁤”uniformly regulated immigration,” rather than exclusion.

Kornelius further stated he did⁣ not believe the⁤ Chancellor harbored concerns ⁣about the presence of migrants in German ‍cities.

Omission⁤ from Official Records

Notably,the specific passage containing Merz’s “cityscape” comment was afterward omitted from the official ‍minutes released⁤ by ‍the Federal Press Office. Kornelius⁤ explained ⁣this⁣ decision,‌ citing the neutrality requirement ⁤governing publications from ⁢the office. He clarified that because Merz’s response ⁤was ⁤delivered “clearly identifying himself as party leader,”‌ it​ fell outside the scope of neutral ⁣reporting and was ​therefore ⁢not included in ​the​ official record.