Germany Reconsiders Its Open Door for Migrants

Even before the recent Christmas market attack, the nation was struggling to cope with influx; economy needs new workers

- BERTRAND BENOIT

SUHL, Germany-Ten years ago, this town in central Germany was aging, rapidly depopulating and almost universally white. Today, its population has stabilized, is younger and includes people from 92 countries.

Some longtime residents have welcomed the change, but for many others, it's happening too fast. In May, conservative Mayor André Knapp was re-elected with more than 82% of the votes after a campaign critical of immigration, which he blamed for a rise in local crime. In September, the Alternative for Germany, or AfD, a far-right party that advocates mass deportations, won its first state election in Thuringia, where Suhl is located.

"Of course we need immigration, we need foreign workers, but we can't have a situation where our town is getting completely overwhelmed," said Knapp.

Many Western countries are rethinking their immigration policies and how open they want to be, even as they grapple with the effects of low birthrates and aging populations.

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump made restricting immigration, including mass deportations, a central pitch in his campaign.

Countries including Canada, Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands have tightened controls, citing costs, popular pressure and security. In Austria, the antiimmigration Freedom Party won a general election in October. That same month, Poland said it would bar entry to asylum seekers and tighten visa policy. Earlier this month, Elon Musk weighed in on the issue, posting on X: "Only the AfD can save Germany." Germany has long been one of the world's most welcoming nations to migrants. Between 2013 and 2023, 6.43 million more people settled in Germany than left, according to Germany's Federal Statistics Office the biggest inflow of any country outside the U.S., according to the United Nations.

Polls show immigration is a top issue for voters ahead of a general election in February.