Government & Politics

Deadly knife attack reignites France’s politically charged immigration debate How the government responds to Saturday’s tragedy will have domestic and geopolitical ramifications.

(Politico) French Prime Minister François Bayrou will hold an emergency meeting Wednesday to draw up a response to a deadly weekend knife attack in the Alsatian city of Mulhouse. The alleged perpetrator of the incident is a 37-year-old Algerian citizen, a French […]

Demonstrations

Munich car ramming attack by Afghan man heats migrant debate Police said the man from Afghanistan who allegedly drove his car into a crowd of people in Munich was motivated by Islamism.

(Deutsche Welle) On Thursday morning, a young man drove his car into a crowd of demonstrators in the center of Munich. The suspected perpetrator was named by police as 24-year-old Farhad N., an asylum-seeker from Afghanistan. He was arrested at the scene and, […]

Government & Politics

Immigration: German voters want to accept fewer refugees A majority of Germans believe the country should accept fewer refugees, according to the latest Deutschlandtrend poll. However, most are in favor of EU-wide solutions and are against their country 'going it alone.'

(Deutsche Welle) The date January 29, 2025, will be remembered for a long time in Germany. It was the day the conservative group comprising the Christian Democratic Union and Christian Social Union, the largest opposition force in the Bundestag, put forward a […]

Government & Politics

Germany’s far-right firewall weakens as Merz pledges migration crackdown Germany’s conservative candidate, Friedrich Merz, suggested he’d push through tougher migration measures even with AfD support.

(Politico) German conservatives’ determination not to play ball with the far right is ebbing away. Friedrich Merz, favorite to be chancellor after next month’s election, signaled he’d try to push tougher migration measures through parliament even if passage depends on the support […]

Children & Teens

Scholz hardens rhetoric on migrants after fatal knife attack The chancellor, lagging in the polls ahead of the Feb. 23 election, called for an investigation into why the Afghan suspect was even in Germany.

(Politico) Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s response to a fatal knife attack allegedly perpetrated by an Afghan man in southern Germany on Wednesday marks a clear shift in his rhetoric on migration ahead of a national election. The attack on a group of pre-school […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

‘Insane’ Magdeburg Christmas market attack turns up heat on Germany’s politicians Reports that suspect was a refugee from Saudi Arabia who hated Muslims raise complicated questions during German election campaign.

(Politico) The German government is reeling from an attack on a Christmas market in the city of Magdeburg that saw at least five people killed when a car apparently driven by an “Islamophobic” Saudi Arabian refugee plowed into Friday evening crowds. With […]

Government & Politics

Deadly Magdeburg Christmas market attack shakes Germany as election looms With voters going to the polls in February, the tragedy ramps up concerns about security.

(Politico) A driver plowed a car at high speed into crowds of people at a Christmas market in the eastern German city of Magdeburg, adding further tension to an election campaign already riven by a bitter debate over migration. Right-wing parties seized […]

Government & Politics

Migration smashes into German elections after deadly knife attack Far-right Alternative for Germany eyes boost at the ballot box following killings which Chancellor Olaf Scholz described as 'terrorism.'

(Politico) A knife attack allegedly perpetrated by a Syrian asylum seeker that authorities are investigating as a possible act of terrorism has renewed a heated debate over migration in Germany ahead of three state elections in which the far-right, anti-immigration Alternative for […]

Government & Politics

Germany: Solingen attack suspect named, remanded in custody A Syrian man accused of killing three people in Solingen, Germany, has been remanded in custody. Authorities link him to the 'Islamic State' group.

(Deutsche Welle) German prosecutors on Sunday released the name of the 26-year-old Syrian man suspected of a multiple stabbing attack in the western city of Solingen that killed three people and injured eight others. Issa Al H., who was identified without his family name due […]

Government & Politics

German far right seizes on knife attack ahead of crucial state elections The AfD accuses the ruling coalition and the moderate center-right opposition of shortcomings on security.

(Politico) A brutal knife attack in the German city of Solingen has reignited a debate about public security a week ahead of important state elections in eastern Germany, with the far right hammering the government coalition and other parties over alleged shortcomings. […]

Government & Politics

Germany’s CDU redefines stance on Islam in new manifesto Under Friedrich Merz, Germany's Christian Democratic Union is revising its manifesto, sparking controversy with its new stance on Islam and migration. The party's new direction marks a departure from the Merkel era.

(Deutsche Welle) The new color scheme a few months back was only a cosmetic step. Now, Germany’s center-right Christian Democrats are going under the hood. For the first time since 2007, the party that ruled Germany for most of the republic’s young […]