Our funding partner, More in Common, has been regularly examining the dynamics of German society since 2019 and has now published a discussion paper on migration. It shows that the majority of people want an immigration policy that is effective, clear, and solution-oriented. Among other things, they expect clear government management and recognition of immigrants’ contributions to society.

The study is based on a representative survey of over 2,000 people in Germany, as well as insights from More in Common’s research over the past years. The authors of the discussion paper note that most people desire a constructive debate on immigration issues, but the highly charged social climate is standing in the way.

Demands on Migration Policy

There is broad agreement on the need for controlled immigration: 61 percent of respondents consider it more important to control who enters Germany than to reduce the number of immigrants alone. For many, migration also plays a key role in strengthening the German economy. More than half of Germans support the immigration of skilled workers from abroad to counter staff shortages in key sectors.

However, a large portion of respondents criticize current immigration policy and call for clearer rules and reliable implementation. A significant majority – 71 percent – is dissatisfied with the EU’s immigration management; 77 percent rate the former German coalition government’s policy negatively.
 

Constructive Debates Are Possible

The authors of the discussion paper are convinced that a constructive societal debate on migration is possible if the right conditions are in place. They propose five guiding questions to help people from civil society, politics, media, and business shape forward-looking immigration debates:

• Competence: How capable is the state in managing immigration?
• Control: How can we regulate immigration so that it is transparent, predictable, and sustainable?
• Contribution: What contributions do immigrants make to society and the economy?
• Empathy: How can we combine compassion with clear rules?
• Togetherness: How can we foster respectful coexistence in everyday life?

The survey results make it clear: many people want an immigration policy that is not reduced to a simple »yes« or »no«. They see immigration and economic strengthening as interconnected. Therefore, a new approach is needed that combines social cohesion and empathy with institutional competence, control, and fair contributions.

The full discussion paper, »Talking Constructively: Five Questions for Future-Proof Immigration Debates« by More in Common, can be downloaded here (only available in german).