The head of Germany’s Christian Democratic Party has unveiled controversial plans for a sweeping crackdown on migrants.
The number of refugees living in Germany reached a new high last year, according to government data.
Some 3.48 million refugees with varying types of residency permits were living in the country in 2024 — roughly 60,000 more than at the end of 2023.
Immigration has become a hot topic in the country’s forthcoming elections, which will be held on February 23.
The issue has become particularly salient following a number of high-profile violent attacks carried out by migrants in recent weeks.
Friedrich Merz, who hopes to become the next Chancellor, stunned his political opponents after promising to table motions in parliament that would initiate a blanket ban on all illegal immigrants entering Germany.
One motion calls for the immediate declaration of a national emergency and a lockdown of all Germany’s borders, with guards ordered to repel “all attempts at illegal entry, without exception”.
Another seeks to give greater powers to Germany’s federal police service to arrest and expedite the deportation of illegal immigrants.
“Next week, we will introduce motions in the German Bundestag that are exclusively in line with our convictions,” the CDU politician said.
“And we will introduce them regardless of who agrees with them.”
Merz’s proposals have been criticised strongly by his opponents, who accuse him of cosying up to the hard-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.
However, a recent poll for the German tabloid Bild shows a majority of people in the country support his plans for illegal immigration.
In a survey carried out by INSA, two-thirds of those polled supported Merz’s tough immigration policy.
As of January 20, the CDU and its sister party, the CSU, lead Politico Poll of Polls, which suggests 30% of voters will support the parties in the election.
However, the AfD, backed by tech billionaire Elon Musk, has seen a surge in support, with 20% saying they will vote for the party.
Left Party lawmaker Clara Bünger says immigration data shows that there is no national emergency in Germany.
She pointed out that the figures show refugees make up just 4% of the population, and said some of those people have been in the country for decades.
“Such scaremongering deliberately distracts from actual social problems and uses fear to make refugees a scapegoat,” Bünger added.
