“Social tourism” statement: Merz rows back after criticism

CDU leader Merz criticized the fact that many people fled from Ukraine to Germany, but were still visiting their home country, as “social tourism”. He took back the statement – the SPD accuses him of using the “tactics of the AfD”.

CDU leader Friedrich Merz has apologized for his “social tourism” statement about refugees from Ukraine. “If my choice of words is perceived as hurtful, then I apologize in all forms,” ​​Merz tweeted in the morning. There was a lot of criticism for his words about refugees from Ukraine, explained Merz and added that he regretted the use of the word “social tourism”.

Merz wrote that his comment “only applied to the lack of registration of the refugees. It was and is far from my intention to criticize the refugees from Ukraine, who are confronted with a hard fate.”

statement in a TV interview

In an interview with Bild TV in the evening, CDU leader Friedrich Merz complained about “social tourism” by Ukrainian refugees to Germany. Literally he said:

The background, according to Merz: Initially, Ukraine refugees were entitled to care under the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act – since June they have received basic security, i.e. the same benefits as Hartz IV recipients.

In the interview, Merz also criticized the intentions of the federal government to grant asylum to conscientious objectors from Russia. The topic is not only being discussed in German politics – the EU countries are also currently struggling to find a common line.

Criticism from the Ministry of the Interior

As a result of the “social tourism” statement, politicians expressed cross-party criticism. Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser, who had previously spoken out in favor of granting asylum to conscientious objectors from Russia, described Merz’s statements as “shabby”. It was about “shaming on the backs of Ukrainian women and children who fled from Putin’s bombs and tanks,” wrote Faeser on Twitter in the morning – without mentioning Merz by name.

In addition, Faeser referred to the term “social tourism” used by Merz with her tweet. In 2013, this was “nonsense word of the year,” she explained. It was “even in 2022 unworthy of every Democrat”.

Outrage also among the Greens, FDP and Melnyk

The federal chairwoman of the Greens, Ricarda Lang, was also outraged. On Twitter, she asked how the Union’s solidarity with Ukraine matched Merz’s statements about “social tourism”.

Green party leader Britta Haßelmann wrote: “Wanting to distinguish yourself by degrading other people is an instrument that right-wing populists regularly resort to.” Haßelmann also accused Merz of self-profiling.

The FDP parliamentary group leader Christian Dürr meanwhile described statements by CDU leader Merz as “absolutely out of place”. Dürr told the dpa: “People from Ukraine come to us because they are fleeing Putin’s brutal war. Many of them have lost everything and fear for their relatives.”

SPD: “AfD tactics”

The SPD in the Bundestag accused Merz of using the “AfD tactics” with his statement. The parliamentary manager Katja Mast also explained: “He deliberately wants to start a political culture war and shift the discourse to the right with ever new border shifts”. So far, this is only known from the AfD. The fact that Merz then “half-heartedly” distanced himself from his statements was “no more than the usual scam”.

The outgoing Ukrainian ambassador in Berlin, Andriy Melnyk, also found sharp words about the statements made by the CDU leader. He wrote on Twitter: “Where does this nonsense about alleged ‘social tourism’ by Ukrainian war refugees come from?”. Addressing Merz, he added: “You have the right to visit your home country at any time. Where does this cheap populism come from?”

Union tries to put things into perspective

The parliamentary director of the Union faction in the Bundestag, Thorsten Frei (CDU), had tried to put the statement into perspective. Merz used a “certainly very pointed formulation” to point out a problem that may exist here,” said Frei in Berlin. He admitted that the term could be misunderstood. The CDU politician said that he had no corresponding figures that could conclusively assess the situation.