From Merkel to Merz: Germany redefines its balance between openness and control

The phrase instantly turned into a litmus test for public sentiment across Europe, sparking debate not only about women’s safety but also about the limits of tolerance. Can liberal Europe remain open if some of its citizens already feel unprotected?

Merz, leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), is now voicing what many prefer to leave unsaid: the changing social atmosphere in large cities and the growing gap between political declarations and everyday experience. His political agenda centers on control, order—and deportation of those without legal status.

This marks a return to a “classic” European model of society: rights must be balanced by responsibilities. Merz has proposed closing borders to undocumented migrants, restricting asylum rights, and winding down the family reunification program. His team is already drafting a second deportation law.

For nearly a week, the chancellor has faced accusations of populism from all sides. Yet according to polls, more than 60% of Germans believe the country has lost control of the situation. It is, they say, time to call things by their names.

This is not the first time Germany has faced such a dilemma. Today’s debates are, in many ways, the consequence of a political pendulum swinging in the opposite direction.

In 2015, Chancellor Angela Merkel opened Germany’s doors to hundreds of thousands of refugees, declaring the now-historic phrase, “Wir schaffen das” — “We can do this.” At the time, it symbolized humanitarian leadership. Later, it came to represent exhaustion, rising crime, and the financial burden of supporting unemployed migrants.

A decade later, the tone has shifted: “We might manage — but only with strict rules.”

Merkel herself responded to Merz’s remarks with restraint: “I understand the desire for order. But the responsibility of politics is not only to protect but also to unite.” Her words sound like an attempt to balance the old Europe of openness with the new Europe of caution. The question is: can that balance still exist?

What’s unfolding in Germany is part of a broader European shift. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has put it bluntly: “Europe has the right to protect its citizens.” Rome has already implemented migrant return agreements, and the Italian coast guard now has clear orders regarding vessels carrying illegal migrants. Poland—once a major source of migrant labor—is reexamining its asylum policies. Even in France, Emmanuel Macron admits the “asylum system needs a reset.”

Europe is moving toward a new consensus: less sentimental, more pragmatic. Perhaps this shift was inevitable.

In essence, Merz’s words are not about fear, but about the limits of responsibility. A state that commits to welcoming everyone must also bear the consequences—financial, social, and cultural. If it cannot sustain unrestricted openness, it has the right to redefine its rules. This is not a rejection of humanism; it is an effort to make it sustainable.

What does this mean for Ukrainian emigrants?

For Ukraine, this shift carries a dual message. On one hand, Ukrainians in the EU are not part of illegal migration. They are covered by Paragraph 24, with many already working, paying taxes, and integrating into local communities.

On the other hand, any escalation of the migration debate in Europe inevitably affects perceptions of Ukrainians. In the public mind, distinctions between those fleeing war and those seeking economic opportunity often blur.

This is why Ukraine must not merely observe, but also draw conclusions. European politics is changing under the weight of its own voters. What was recently the language of the right is now becoming mainstream.

Europe, which once learned to welcome, is now learning to limit.