Growing Distrust in Politics among Berlin's Migrant Communities

In Berlin, a prevalent mistrust toward politics is evident among migrant communities who feel overlooked and discriminated against. A Turkish couple in their 30s, living with their three children in a cramped two-room apartment, voiced frustration that political attention focuses predominantly on newly arrived migrants while long-term residents like themselves are neglected. They lamented, "We work like pigs, and in the end, nothing is left."

Oussama, a 55-year-old barber from Tripoli who has lived in Berlin for 15 years, continues to vote but remains skeptical of politics, attributing his distrust to experiences with corruption in his country of origin. Similarly, Nesrin, a woman who started training as an emergency medical technician, abandoned her course after facing racism — some patients reportedly refused treatment from her due to her wearing a hijab. She now works behind the counter in a pastry shop.

These personal accounts highlight the social and political disenfranchisement felt by migrant residents. According to expert Hannes Schammann, governmental policies mainly set incentives for migration but struggle to directly shape outcomes, underlining the complex challenges in asylum and integration policies.

Such stories underscore the urgent need for rebuilding trust and addressing systemic discrimination within migrant communities in Germany's capital, affirming that political inclusion remains an unresolved issue for many long-term migrants.