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Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier opposes categorizing Germans according to their origin. At the same time, he acknowledges that migration can be overwhelming – and calls on politicians to take action.
“The ‘German people’ as defined by our constitution also include Germans who have come to Germany,” he said on Tuesday in Berlin. Anyone who wants to “categorize and differentiate Germanness” places themselves “outside our democratic order.”
Steinmeier appealed to the population to oppose such attempts at division. Germany should not lose itself in a “us versus them” mentality, the Federal President said.
He expressed his desire for a country “that chooses unity over exclusion, that rejects anyone who harbors fantasies of ethnic isolation.” Steinmeier spoke of conversations with people with a migration background who were afraid. “If people in our country are having sleepless nights because they are marginalized and attacked, then we all need to be wide awake,” he warned.
Politics should address “the obvious problems”.
At the same time, the Federal President advocated for a nuanced perspective. “Immigration brings strength. And immigration also takes strength,” he said. Long-established citizens told him they were overwhelmed by migration and felt like strangers in their own country. “When people have lost faith in successful coexistence, then politics is called upon,” Steinmeier stated. It must address obvious problems “quickly and decisively” and offer solutions.
Steinmeier spoke at an event entitled “At Home in Germany: How We Live Together.” The discussion focused on the opportunities and challenges of immigration and integration. This was the first public event held at Steinmeier’s temporary official residence in Berlin-Mitte during the multi-year renovation of Bellevue Palace.