A recent study conducted by the University of Potsdam and the Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel) has found that the “welcoming culture” of former German Chancellor Angela Merkel was not responsible for the high number of refugees seeking asylum in Germany in 2015. Opponents of migration blamed Merkel’s refugee policy for the influx of refugees, but the study revealed that the large number of refugees in 2015 was the result of an upward trend that had already begun in the years prior. The study’s author, Tobias Heidland, explained that an open migration policy for people in need does not necessarily lead to long-term immigration. The “Merkel effect” did not exist, and the responsibility for the high number of refugees in 2015 was due to an upward trend that began five years earlier.
The study also found that the “Merkel effect” did not cause an increase in the number of potential migrants in countries such as Turkey. The study revealed that the “Merkel effect” did not cause an increase in the number of potential migrants in countries such as Turkey. The responsibility for the high number of refugees in 2015 was due to an upward trend that began five years earlier. This trend was exacerbated in 2014 and 2015 by large funding gaps in the first reception countries in the Middle East. The lack of financial resources led to a significant deterioration in living conditions, prompting many refugees to make their way to Central Europe and particularly to Germany.
After 2015, migration numbers in Germany decreased significantly, even faster than in other EU member states such as France, Italy, or Spain. The authors of the study attributed this decrease to the increasingly restrictive migration policy in Germany, as well as the EU-Turkey agreement, the closure of the Balkan route, and the restriction of family reunification. The study’s findings provide a new perspective on the refugee crisis in Germany and highlight the importance of understanding the underlying causes of migration.
