German chancellor praises 'well-integrated' immigrants in party meeting

By Erbil Basay

ISTANBUL (AA) - German Chancellor Olaf Scholz commended German-speaking immigrants in his speech during a party rally, saying they are a "part of Germany" and its democracy.

The German Social Democratic Party (SPD) launched its campaign for the Feb. 23, 2025 early general elections through an Election Victory Conference in Berlin, where Scholz, the SPD's chancellor candidate, said Germany will need 288,000 foreign skilled workers annually until 2040, according to research.

Germany is a country of immigration but the main opposition Christian Democrats (CDU/CSU) do not want to accept this fact, Scholz said, adding that 25 million people living in the country have a migration background.

“I want to tell them with all my heart that we belong together as neighbors and colleagues, as friends at school and in sports clubs. We are all part of Germany. We will not allow ourselves to be divided.”

Stating that he was outraged that the main opposition leader Friedrich Merz said he would cancel the new citizenship law if he won the elections, Scholz noted: “I think that everyone who lives and works here permanently, who is well integrated and speaks our language should be part of our country. They should have a say in our democracy.”

Scholz said he wants to protect employment in the industrial sector, invest more in infrastructure, support companies investing in the country and tackle the shortage of skilled workers to get the country out of the economic crisis, adding that he will reform the “debt brake” application that limits Germany's new borrowing to allow investment in the country.

Scholz also made remarks about the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, saying that Russian President Vladimir Putin's "imperialism" is destroying the whole of Ukraine and the peace order in Europe.​​​​​​​

“If Putin succeeds in his imperialist war, our security will also be in grave danger,” said the chancellor.

* Writing by Efe Ozkan.​​​​​