With Syria’s war formally over, Friedrich Merz says repatriation can begin. Yet a fragile coalition and an economy reliant on migrant labour make deportations politically combustible.
It's an interesting conundrum. But perhaps the material perspective shows higher resolution. The demographic crisis looming with boomers retiring. Then the desire to send hundreds of thousands of young people to die in the Bundeswehr planned. Then the forced expulsion of the foreigners. Then there is the looming energy crisis and high cost pressuring industry. Then there is the whole AI situation, possibly about to disrupt the global labour market.
Postponement and kicking the can down the road works until it doesn't. All the unsolved issues, combined with global developments in technology and geopolitics, are now coming to a head. And the political classes are not up to challenge, as well as the structural inflexibility of both the German system and the EU leave much to be desired.
Time to get ready for a beating. Or capitulation. But instead, wishful thinking and denial of engagement with the core issues persists. The sense of 'overwhelm' is real and undeniable, but unhelpful.
Complacency has triumphed and Europe must learn the lesson of excess hubris.
Atbthe time citizebship required 8 years' residency. Perhpas she believwd thw war woild be over after 8 years. But oerhaps the comment was alwaysa bit disingenuous
Whatever she said on one particular occasion can only be judged in the light of actual policy - pathway to citizenship, which in theory must have been open to all.
It's an interesting conundrum. But perhaps the material perspective shows higher resolution. The demographic crisis looming with boomers retiring. Then the desire to send hundreds of thousands of young people to die in the Bundeswehr planned. Then the forced expulsion of the foreigners. Then there is the looming energy crisis and high cost pressuring industry. Then there is the whole AI situation, possibly about to disrupt the global labour market.
Postponement and kicking the can down the road works until it doesn't. All the unsolved issues, combined with global developments in technology and geopolitics, are now coming to a head. And the political classes are not up to challenge, as well as the structural inflexibility of both the German system and the EU leave much to be desired.
Time to get ready for a beating. Or capitulation. But instead, wishful thinking and denial of engagement with the core issues persists. The sense of 'overwhelm' is real and undeniable, but unhelpful.
Complacency has triumphed and Europe must learn the lesson of excess hubris.
I'd be glad to be proved wrong...
Pride before the fall.
Hi Jörg,
A very interesting piece.
I am confused about Merkel's claim that the situation was 'temporary', whilst there was also a pathway to citizenship.
Could you clarify this please?
L L
Atbthe time citizebship required 8 years' residency. Perhpas she believwd thw war woild be over after 8 years. But oerhaps the comment was alwaysa bit disingenuous
Whatever she said on one particular occasion can only be judged in the light of actual policy - pathway to citizenship, which in theory must have been open to all.
Is this a reasonable conclusion?