Angela Merkel: This is how the Germans evaluate their “We can do it” today

“We can do it” – Angela Merkel said these three words as Chancellor at the end of August 2015 at the Federal Press Conference. The sentence fell with regard to the admission of hundreds of thousands of refugees in Germany and the expected challenges for the country.

As reported in reference to the Federal Statistical Office, almost 6.5 million people lived in Germany last year 2024 who have immigrated since 2015. Between 2015 and 2021, more than four million migrants came mainly from Syria, Romania and Poland, another two million from 2022 to 2024, especially from Ukraine, Syria and Turkey.

Did Germany do it? Ten years after the Merkel quote, the Forsa opinion research institute carried out a representative survey on behalf of RTL on the question. The result: In retrospect, 21 percent of those surveyed are of the opinion that Germany has been done with the influx all in all well or very well. 41 percent believe that Germany has been finished less well since 37 percent think Germany has not finished.

Followers of the Greens and the Left in particular are of the opinion that Germany had managed the challenges well. However, almost all supporters of the AfD mean that Germany was “not” finished.

Despite the predominantly negative evaluation, almost half of the Germans are in retrospect today that the decision to let the many refugees to Germany were correct ten years ago was correct. 46 percent of those surveyed are of this view. 41 percent think that all refugees should have been rejected at the German borders. The supporters of the Union are split into two camps of the same size on this question, those of the SPD, left and the Greens consider the decision of the federal government mostly ten years ago. On the other hand, almost all of the AfD supporters think they are wrong.

In addition, Forsa wanted to know from the respondents whether they see problems in their private environment or place of residence that are due to the immigration of 2015? 40 percent or 50 percent affirmed this. When it comes to whether the current high approval values ​​of the AfD are a result of the so -called refugee crisis in 2015, the citizens were split. 50 percent think that the values ​​are due to this, 48 ​​percent believe that there are other reasons. According to 14 percent of the citizens are actively involved in refugee aid across the camps of all parties. The AfD supporters with seven percent were below average.

A large majority of citizens, namely 69 percent, basically sees a need for immigration to find enough staff for elderly and nursing, the catering or for many craft businesses- 30 percent of the AfD supporters also share this view. However, only ten percent of the respondents believe that the refugees who came to Germany ten years ago could be covered by a large part of the required need for specialists.

Remarkable: 43 percent of Germans are of the opinion that the influx of refugees in 2015 has changed more than reunification in 1990. The supporters of the Union parties are divided on this question, those of the SPD, the Greens and leftists are of the opinion that reunification has changed the country more. 88 percent of the AfD supporters believe that immigration has changed the country more since 2015.