New Migrant Council in Rostock: A sign of hope for diversity!

New Migrant Council in Rostock: A sign of hope for diversity!

On September 18, 2025, the new Migrant Council was presented in the Rostock town hall, which will represent the interests of people with a migrant background for the next five years. The council consists of nine members who come from six different nations and thus brings a diverse perspective to Rostock's urban society. This committee develops proposals, advises the citizens and will become active from the beginning of October 2025. The council's statutes place particular emphasis on peaceful and respectful coexistence for all Rostock residents, which is of great importance in the current political situation. According to ndr.de reported, those eligible to vote were made up of a total of 27 candidates who ran as individual applicants or for various organizations.

In this election there was a voter turnout of 12.2 percent, which shows an increase compared to the last election. In Rostock, almost 17,600 people are eligible to vote, although voters must register to prove their eligibility to vote. German citizens with at least one other nationality, naturalized people and late repatriates and their relatives are eligible to vote. The historical classification of the Migrant Council is interesting: the first council was founded after the racially motivated riots in Rostock-Lichtenhagen in 1992, an event that has had a strong influence on German history to this day and is considered by the population to be one of the largest racist pogroms. The origins of the riots were prejudices and negative portrayals of asylum seekers in the press, which had increased since the 1980s. The majority of asylum seekers came from Eastern and Southeastern Europe, which noticeably worsened the mood. bpb.de reports.

Political developments and social context

In the context of the new election and the associated challenges, the question arises as to how the political landscape in Germany has developed. A look at the current situation shows that over 30 percent of votes for the AfD were cast in eastern German states, which increases the fears and worries of migrants. According to deutschlandfunkkultur.de there are even reports of secret meetings of right-wing extremists who discussed possible forced deportations of millions of people with a migration background. Such developments are fueling feelings of unwelcomeness among many migrants, as journalist Ali reports from Syria.

The political reactions to these developments are mixed. While the CDU is calling for a tightening of migration policy before the upcoming federal election, there are voices on the other side that emphasize positive aspects of migration. A survey shows that a majority of Germans rate the impact of refugees on the economy and culture as positive. In this area of ​​tension, migrant organizations are also campaigning for a greater say, so that the new migrant council in Rostock not only guarantees representation of interests, but also actively engages with the historical and current political situation.

It remains to be seen what impulses the new migrant council can provide in order to further promote peaceful coexistence in Rostock and counteract racist tendencies. What is clear, however, is that the coming years will be crucial in shaping an inclusive society in which everyone's voices are heard.