A coalition of fifty prominent figures from the arts, sciences, politics and civil society have launched a scathing critique of Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s rhetoric on urban safety, demanding a significantly enhanced commitment to protecting women. The open letter, published widely and available for broader endorsement, directly challenges Merz’s recent and ambiguous statements regarding “cityscapes” and his dismissive response to concerns about women’s safety.
The letter highlights Merz’s assertion, reportedly suggesting inquiries into the issue should be directed toward “daughters” as a trivialization of deeply rooted anxieties surrounding gender-based violence and safety. The signatories accuse him of potentially utilizing the discourse on urban security as a veiled justification for racist narratives, emphasizing their intent is to address women’s safety with seriousness and avoid hollow justifications.
The diverse group of signatories – including Green Party politician Ricarda Lang, climate activist Luisa Neubauer, singer Joy Denalane, author Alice Hasters, economist Isabella Weber, actress Melika Foroutan, sociologist Jutta Allmendinger and writers Lena Gorelik and Mithu Sanyal – present a comprehensive ten-point agenda geared toward bolstering women’s protection and addressing systemic inequalities.
These demands range from bolstering the prosecution of sexualized and domestic violence to implementing improved lighting and surveillance in public spaces. Notably, it calls for the legal classification of femicide, coupled with reliable and robust data collection regarding violence against women, ensuring adequate funding for women’s shelters and safe spaces and a dedicated financing stream for violence prevention legislation. The agenda also explicitly demands the recognition of racially motivated violence and seeks to introduce legal protections surrounding women’s digital safety online. Furthermore, the signatories advocate for a legal right to bodily autonomy, facilitated by a comprehensive abortion rights reform, as well as policies promoting financial independence for women and combating female poverty.
The letter’s release aims to harness the momentum generated by the recent debate on urban aesthetics and safety to advocate for pressing women- and migration-related political concerns. By framing their agenda within this broader discussion, the signatories intend to pressure Chancellor Merz and the government to move beyond superficial pronouncements and enact tangible, impactful measures to ensure the safety and well-being of women across Germany. The open nature of the letter suggests an ambition to galvanize broader public engagement and sustain pressure on policymakers well beyond the initial statement.