CDU boss complains about “pull factor”
Merz warns of too many refugees in Germany
10/04/2022 1:18 p.m
Shortly after his “social tourism” statement, CDU leader Merz again warns of a problem with refugees. In his eyes, Germany is already taking in a large number of them. The federal government is setting false incentives and is fueling the influx. Merz criticized a federal project in particular.
Only shortly after the chairman of the Union faction in the German Bundestag and CDU party leader Friedrich Merz caused massive criticism with the criticism of the alleged “social tourism” of Ukrainian refugees, he warns in one Interview with t online from too many refugees who could make their way to Germany.
Merz said: “Germany takes in a lot of people. In a European comparison, the social network that we span is also very large. With the social benefit that will be called ‘citizen’s allowance’ in the future, it is often no longer worthwhile for immigrants to take up a simple job And that’s exactly what really attracts people from many countries, it creates a so-called pull factor.”
Merz wants to differentiate between migrants
When asked whether people shouldn’t be helped, Merz said: “Help is a requirement of the Christian image of man. But we shouldn’t set the wrong incentives.” A “clear distinction” must be made between “regulated immigration into the labor market, humanitarian asylum and illegal immigration”. The federal government is blurring the boundaries of migration law. The Ministry of the Interior even wants to abolish the obligation to provide proof of identity and introduce sworn insurance instead, according to Merz.
Merz had previously caused a stir in an interview with Bild TV. There he had spoken of problems with Ukrainian refugees who would keep traveling back and forth between Ukraine and Germany. Merz criticized this as “social tourism”. At first there was criticism from the federal government and social organizations, later CDU members also expressed their displeasure, even accusing Merz of using the approach of right-wing populists when he first verbally crossed borders and later backtracked and spoke of misunderstandings. Merz regretted his statements and said he wanted to point out the difficulties in accommodating refugees.