Chancellor Merz in Dresden: Protests against cityscape statements!

Chancellor Merz in Dresden: Protests against cityscape statements!

On October 28, 2025, Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) paid a visit to Dresden. On his arrival he was warmly welcomed by Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer (CDU) and the music corps of the mountain town of Schneeberg. He was given a special honor when three Sorbs presented him with bread and salt as a welcome greeting. Merz praised Saxony as a traditional and modern industrial location and emphasized the importance of renovating and modernizing transport routes, in particular the planned railway line from Dresden via Görlitz to Breslau and the connection between Dresden and Prague. However, these projects are not yet sufficiently financed, which Merz addressed in his discussions.

An important part of his visit will be a meeting with young people in the Crafts Education Center of the Dresden Chamber of Crafts. Finally, the Chancellor is expected at Globalfoundries, where expansion plans for the Dresden plant will be presented. But while Merz keeps his appointments, there are also critical voices to be heard.

Protests against Merz’s visit

An alliance against cuts has called for a demonstration against Merz's politics and his recent statements about the cityscape. In Dresden, up to 1,000 people gathered on Friday afternoon to protest under the motto “We are daughters – for a colorful cityscape”. This demonstration, which took place at Albertplatz in Dresden Neustadt, brought together representatives of the Jusos, the Left Youth, the Green Youth and migrant organizations. There were different reports about the number of participants; One photo reporter counted around 1,000, another spoke of around 250. Nevertheless, according to the police, the event was initially peaceful.

The criticism of Merz is the result of his controversial statements about problems in the cityscape of German inner cities, which caused outrage. Among other things, Merz referred to the situation in Neumünster, an example of a problem area with high crime. These statements have sparked protests nationwide, not only in Dresden, but also in Leipzig, where around 2,000 people demonstrated against Merz's policies on Monday evening.

Cityscape debate and its consequences

The current “cityscape” debate has shown how polarized opinions are on the topics of integration and security. Merz's positions are met with outrage by many, while others support him. Critical voices, such as those from speakers at the protests, warn about the unequal distribution of care work and the gender pay gap. A spokeswoman put it provocatively: “Dear Mr. Merz, I am grateful not to be your daughter today.”

There are mixed reactions to Merz's statements on social media. Some users are of the opinion that the integration of migrants is successful, while others take the fears of the people in the districts under discussion seriously. What is certain is that Merz revised his statements after a wave of criticism, but many see this reaction as too late.

Given the upcoming Chancellor's visit, it remains to be seen what new topics and discussions will come onto the agenda. Meanwhile, the city of Dresden does not expect any major restrictions on visits, but the protesters leave no doubt that their voices must be heard.

For more information about Friedrich Merz's visit to Dresden and the protests, you can read the articles from daily news, Sächsische.de and ZDF visit.