ABSTRACT
Public debates about solidarity with refugees as covered by German newspapers exhibit a clear pattern: they are dominated by contestations among the political elite; they focus primarily on the management of refugees and the possible problems and consequences of the large numbers of arriving immigrants. The dominance of state actors and the focus on crisis management fostered a perception of refugees as a ‘problem that awaits solutions’. This chapter sketches a rather balanced picture of the German political discourse on solidarity with refugees during the crisis. This is true in regard to participating actors. While political actors had a strong say, other actors could make their more positive opinions heard, as well. Angela Merkel is the most prominent figure in the debate, yet the government did not monopolise claims-making and other political leaders from the opposition and from the regional level were regularly given voice in the news.
