Will Germany become safer if more illegal migrants are deported? Chancellor Merz thinks so, but the reality is more complex.
Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz spoke in the Bundestag about "exploding violence" and that "a significant part of the violence" is committed by "migrants". He has not said this for the first time. Merz's government has reduced the number of asylum seekers by 60 percent. "But in the cities we continue to face this problem." That is why deportations are now coming "on a large scale", said the German Chancellor.
Urban problems: at train stations and at Christmas markets
When Jens Spahn, chairman of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group in the Bundestag, analyzes the successes of the "Alternative for Germany" in the recent local elections, he says that the everyday life of Germans is important. "It is also about how safe I feel in the weekday, how comfortable I am in it, what is changing quickly around me".
Citizens will see that something is changing in the cities, Spahn defended the Chancellor. "The Christmas markets, which look like fortresses, the situation at the central stations, not only in the big cities, at the markets and in many of the smaller towns, where a lot of changes have occurred, shoplifting and what not – "In this situation, we cannot say that illegal migration has not changed the face of cities."
Insecurity on the streets
48 percent of citizens do not feel safe in public places, in parks, on trains and buses, a survey from the end of 2025 shows. In 2017, this figure was only 23 percent. But will the restrictive policy towards asylum seekers increase it?
Even conservative representatives of the city authorities are not convinced. "When it comes to what most affects the subjective feeling of security of people in cities, it is not serious crime, but the socially inadequate behavior of certain groups," said Torsten Wünschmann from the city hall in Hanau, Hesse. This is behavior that is not criminal and does not constitute a breach of public order, but "worries people".
Social decline instead of serious crime
We are talking about drug addicts, groups of people drinking alcohol on the streets, aggressive beggars and homeless people. Empty or abandoned properties, garbage and dirt also affect the appearance of the city. Even if the city is not well maintained, this contributes to the feeling of security and creates discomfort among the population, believe a number of German mayors.
But there are significant differences between rural areas and large cities. Some complain about emptying and people leaving them, others - about conflicts, mainly caused by poverty and conflicting interests. The head of the German police union, Rainer Went, speaks of Berlin: "I lived in the center for a long time, on Alexanderplatz. Anyone who passes by the crowds of mostly Eastern European seasonal workers in the morning or comes across what they have left in the entrances of buildings knows what I am talking about."
These circumstances are unbearable. "Public spaces cannot be occupied by marginalized people and normal citizens no longer dare to pass by." However, citizens are also afraid of the increasing crime rate. "Largely of foreign origin, organized Turkish crime, which is accompanied by increasing violence, is increasingly open and increasingly shameless, even to the point of using firearms, hand grenades and extorting protection money."
More money from the state for municipalities
The police are responsible for prosecuting crime - at the federal and provincial levels. Municipalities do not have any authority in this regard, but they do have their own security officers who are part of the law enforcement agencies. However, in order to ensure security and order, more staff, more modern surveillance equipment and more money from the budget are needed. A large number of municipalities are deeply in debt. This is mainly due to social and personnel costs. At the same time, due to the economic crisis, income from corporate income tax has fallen. There is a lack of money for infrastructure investments everywhere.
The Bundestag is currently discussing numerous options for strengthening cities and municipalities. For example, an increase of 1.6 billion euros is planned for urban development funds. This money will also pay for crime prevention measures in cities. Measures to improve public space and the renovation of empty buildings will also be stimulated.