Thousands of people protest against migration policy in Mainz!

Thousands of people protest against migration policy in Mainz!

On January 30, 2025, thousands of people protested in Rhineland-Palatinate against the stricter migration policy, which was decided in the Bundestag due to a vote of the Union and AfD. These protests were supported by the "Campact" and "Fridays for Future" organization, which expect ten- to hundreds of thousands of participants all over Germany. In Rhineland-Palatinate, 90 demonstrations are registered to take place on Thursday and Friday, while the largest rally for Saturday is planned in Berlin.

In Mainz, several thousand people gathered in front of the CDU headquarters, with the police estimated the number of participants at around 4,500. Under the motto "Never again is now! Demonstration for heart instead of Merz", people clearly protested against the policy of CDU boss Friedrich Merz. Smaller demonstrations also took place in Landau and Koblenz, in which around 500 and around 300 to 400 participants took part. The events in these cities were under the motto "against fascism, racism and hatred of people" and expressly criticized the CDU cooperation with the Afd.

increasing concern about migration policy

The intended stricter migration policy, which has recently been decided in the Bundestag, aims to control the entry of migrants strict. Member of the Bundestag of CDU/CSU, AfD, FDP and MPs without a political group agreed on a five-point plan. Despite the pressure, the CDU in Rhineland-Palatinate emphasized that there would be no cooperation with the AfD. Prime Minister Schweitzer (SPD) criticized Merz sharply and demanded the withdrawal of the draft law.

In this context, Angela Merkel also critically commented on coordination with the AfD and advocated collaboration between all democratic parties. This shows that the issue of migration is not only a challenge for the current government, but also a potential bone of contention within the established political forces.

reactions from society

The protests of the past few days illustrate the far -reaching concern in society with regard to the humanitarian aspects of the new migration policy. Bishop Wiesemann and Church President Wüst called for a human approach, while the Caritas in Rhineland-Palatinate warned of defaming migrants and asked for prudence in public debate. An employee of the CDU state office also received a threat of murder, which further illustrates the tense atmosphere.

Friedrich Merz, the CDU boss, leads the migration policy of the traffic light coalition as the main cause of the rise of the AfD, the survey values ​​of which now reach up to 20 percent. He calls for a regulated immigration and even proposes the creation of a “Federal Agency for Immigration” to specifically promote qualified specialists.

However, these claims are contradictory to the existing measures of the federal government. The current course includes the more consistent designation of people without the right to stay and tightening asylum procedures. The EU asylum compromise is seen as a step in the right direction, but an actual implementation could take place in 2024 or 2025 at the earliest.

The Federal Government measures also include increased inland border controls as well as the deportation and deportation of criminals. However, these developments raise questions about the human rights standards that are repeatedly discussed. Critics of migration policy warn that social division and racism could continue to increase if politics leads to a more repressive attitude towards migrants.

Overall, it can be seen that migration policy ensures great tensions both in society and within the political parties. The upcoming protests in the coming days will be a clear indicator of how strong the public interest and resistance to such a policy are pronounced.

For further information on the protests and migration policy, you can report the reporting of Merkur and Visit Federal Government