Germany’s Immigration Worries Come to the Fore in Upcoming Elections

Alya made her journey to Germany from Syria ten years ago, bringing along her newborn son Rami.

“I was crying,” Alya recalls when she saw the news about last week’s Munich attack that claimed a toddler and his mothers life. “Why should someone do something like that? Why? I can’t understand it.”

An Afghan man is currently in custody after another series of attacks took place in German cities, where the suspect was an asylum seeker. Just days ago, a mother and daughter were killed in Munich; last month, another child along with an adult lost their lives in Aschaffenburg.

Alya came to Germany from Syria ten years ago with her baby son Rami. Now that he is 10, both he and his mother are welcoming visitors into their home. They were among the record one million people who applied for asylum in Germany during 2015-16; most of them hailed from Syria but also from countries such as Afghanistan and Iraq.

The attacks have put security and migration at the forefront of public debate, especially ahead of a federal election scheduled for later this year. The political climate includes strong support for far-right parties like Alternative for Germany (AfD), which has advocated for “remigration” C often interpreted as mass deportations.

Walking through the city center in Oberhausen reveals the strain in Germany’s migration debate. One corner features a demonstration against AfD, while an AfD party stand further down main street attracts shouts of Nazis.

In another heated argument with party activists, two men of color accuse them of racism after being told to “go back.” J?rg Lange, an AfD councillor involved in the altercation, denies making a racist comment. However, Kwame and Prathep counter that such language is common.

“He personally attacked me,” says J?rg Lange. “And then you have this thing where if something doesn’t suit here, go back to your homeland.”

AfDs platform includes calls for closing Germany’s borders completely and ending the European asylum policy. The conservative Christian Democrats propose a border ban, while Social Democrats want faster asylum procedures and increased deportations.

In conclusion, Alya expresses hope that Germany will continue its doors open to refugees: “There are still wars everywhere,” she says, “and people need help.”