Green Mayor Ryyan Alshebl Defends Chancellor Merz in Heated Migration and City Image Debate

The ongoing public and political debate in Germany regarding migration's impact on public safety and urban aesthetics remains intense following Chancellor Friedrich Merz's recent comments. Ryyan Alshebl, a Green Party mayor from Baden-Württemberg with Syrian roots, has come out in defense of Merz. In an interview, Alshebl emphasized that accusing the Chancellor of racism without addressing underlying problems is futile. He pointed specifically to crime linked to young men of Syrian or Afghan descent in public spaces such as Stuttgart's Königstraße, highlighting the need for honest discourse on the topic. Alshebl criticized those who dismiss such concerns as mere racism debates, labeling them as politically motivated or "quite foolish," and stressed protecting the 99% of migrants who live peacefully. Alshebl, who fled Syria a decade ago and was elected mayor of Ostelsheim in 2023, believes the public understood Merz's intent and does not view him as racist.

Meanwhile, reactions to Merz's comments have varied regionally. In Schleswig-Holstein, local leaders including Kiel's Mayor Ulf Kämpfer (SPD) and Kappeln's Mayor Joachim Stoll condemned Merz's remarks as discriminatory and misleading. The state is also grappling with other social challenges, such as a shortage of skilled workers, safety concerns following recent traffic accidents, and a criminal investigation following a gas station robbery. These layers underscore ongoing tension around issues of integration, public safety, and economic stability in parts of Germany.

This multifaceted debate reflects wider societal efforts to balance the realities of migration's impact while addressing public safety and urban quality of life concerns.