Wir Schaffen Das': A Decade Later, Germany Confronts the Unsettled Legacy of Merkel's Refugee Policy
A decade has passed since German Chancellor Angela Merkel made a declaration that would define her legacy and reshape her nation: 'Wir schaffen das' ('We can do it'). This statement opened Germany’s doors to millions of refugees, primarily from conflict zones in Syria, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Today, as the country reflects on this momentous decision, the initial spirit of welcome has become fractured, replaced by a complex and often contradictory national mood. A new study from the German Institute for Economic Research starkly illustrates this shift: In 2017, 84% of migrants reported feeling welcome; by 2023, that figure had fallen to 65%. This significant drop serves as a quantitative measure of a deeply felt societal transformation. The 2015 Shift: From Open Arms to Rising Tensions The scenes from 2015 portrayed a Germany of open arms and open hearts. The government’s decision was met with a significant outpouring of public support, and more people applied for politi...