Merkel reportedly admitted 2015 immigration was meant to curb far right
Leaks attribute to Merkel the admission that mass immigration in 2015 was aimed at stopping the far right. The boomerang effect strengthened AfD.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Merkel admitted she brought in migrants to fight the far right, leaks suggest
In recent hours, reports have gained traction that Angela Merkel, in private conversations, admitted that the open-door policy of 2015 was intended to counter the rise of the German far right. The former chancellor, who always defended the welcoming policy on humanitarian grounds, now sees her official narrative called into question. If the confession is true, the German chancellery's account during the migration crisis wobbles: it would not have been a humanitarian gesture, but a political calculation.
The strategy that inflamed the breeding ground
The 2015 decision, when Merkel peine the borders to more than a million asylum seekers, was taken when Alternative for Germany (AfD) was still a marginal, Eurosceptic party. According to this version, the idea was that a mass influx of migrants would change the electorate and dilute the radical conservative vote. The result, however, was the opposite: AfD capitalised on the discontent and became the second political force. The antidote turned out to be the best fertiliser for the adversary.
Some go further and see in this confession proof that Merkel acted as an agent of foreign interests, from Russian oligarchs to international financial lobbies, and that the real goal was to weaken Germany from within. These theories, however, lack solid evidence and remain in the realm of speculation.
An admission that divides interpretations
While some see the alleged confession as a monumental miscalculation, others interpret it as a deliberate betrayal. The fact is that Merkel herself has remained silent so far, and the leaks have not been independently verified. But the debate is already served: if the former chancellor really said that immigration was a weapon against the far right, the cynicism of the German establishment would be laid bare.
With the far right at record highs and German society more polarised than ever, the uncomfortable question persists: what did Merkel expect to happen?
In recent hours, reports have gained traction that Angela Merkel, in private conversations, admitted that the open-door policy of 2015 was intended to counter the rise of the German far right. The former chancellor, who always defended the welcoming policy on humanitarian grounds, now sees her official narrative called into question. If the confession is true, the German chancellery's account during the migration crisis wobbles: it would not have been a humanitarian gesture, but a political calculation.
The strategy that inflamed the breeding ground
The 2015 decision, when Merkel peine the borders to more than a million asylum seekers, was taken when Alternative for Germany (AfD) was still a marginal, Eurosceptic party. According to this version, the idea was that a mass influx of migrants would change the electorate and dilute the radical conservative vote. The result, however, was the opposite: AfD capitalised on the discontent and became the second political force. The antidote turned out to be the best fertiliser for the adversary.
Some go further and see in this confession proof that Merkel acted as an agent of foreign interests, from Russian oligarchs to international financial lobbies, and that the real goal was to weaken Germany from within. These theories, however, lack solid evidence and remain in the realm of speculation.
An admission that divides interpretations
While some see the alleged confession as a monumental miscalculation, others interpret it as a deliberate betrayal. The fact is that Merkel herself has remained silent so far, and the leaks have not been independently verified. But the debate is already served: if the former chancellor really said that immigration was a weapon against the far right, the cynicism of the German establishment would be laid bare.
With the far right at record highs and German society more polarised than ever, the uncomfortable question persists: what did Merkel expect to happen?
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (13 replies).
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