Imagine waking up in a Germany without immigration: No doctors, no nurses, no skilled workers keeping hospitals, tech companies, and infrastructure running.
That’s exactly what a viral video from a German hospital aimed to highlight ahead of Germany’s February 23 elections.
The Legal Debate: What’s Really at Stake?
The video, which was part of a campaign to encourage voters to “choose humanity” without explicitly naming any political party, is widely interpreted as a push against the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD).
The party has proposed a rollback of Germany’s new citizenship law, advocating a stricter return to citizenship by descent—a shift that would impact countless immigrants, including the doctors and nurses featured in the viral clip.
Under AfD’s proposals, Germany would prioritize remigration, a controversial term associated with policies aimed at reducing the number of immigrants, even those who are well-integrated. While AfD insists this applies only to illegal immigration, critics argue that the rhetoric affects all immigrants, making them feel unwelcome.
After the polls held last week, conservative and right-wing parties emerged on top.
The mainstream conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU), along with its partner, the Christian Social Union (CSU), finished first with 28.6 percent of the vote, while the far-right, anti-immigrant AfD surged into second with 20.8 percent, according to provisional results announced by election authorities.
The Social Democratic Party (SPD) came in third with just 16.4 percent, a nearly 10-point drop from their first-place finish in 2021. Outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz of SPD acknowledged a “bitter” defeat, saying “the election result is poor and I bear responsibility”.
Can Robots Replace Skilled Workers?
One of AfD’s solutions? Boosting Germany’s birth rate and automating jobs currently filled by skilled immigrants.
But legal and economic experts question whether this is a feasible solution, particularly in industries like healthcare, where human expertise is irreplaceable.
Tight Immigration Laws in the U.S. Under Trump?
Since taking office on 20 January, President Donald Trump has announced a flurry of immigration-related executive orders, paving way for a widespread effort to crack down on undocumented migrants in the US.
In more than 21 actions, Trump has moved to overhaul parts of the US immigration system, including how migrants are processed and deported from the US.
The White House has since publicised some of these efforts. On Friday, the new White House Press Secretary shared images of deportation flights being carried out by military cargo planes.
While Trump has promised “mass deportations” and arrests, it remains unclear how much of his plan is already being implemented.
What’s the Internet Saying?
Social media reactions range from concern to outright frustration. One commenter lamented, “After a year of learning the German language and starting my studies, I don’t have it in me to start over again in another country.”
Others praised the hospital’s video as an effective wake-up call.
