With voters going to the polls in February, the tragedy ramps up concerns about security.
A driver plowed a car at high speed into crowds of people at a Christmas market in the eastern German city of Magdeburg, adding further tension to an election campaign already riven by a bitter debate over migration.
Right-wing parties seized on reports that the driver was a man from Saudi Arabia, even before that or any motive for the apparent attack was confirmed. The incident took place almost eight years to the day after a terrorist drove a truck into a Christmas market in Berlin.
At least five people were killed on Friday night, including a young child, according to the premier of Saxony-Anhalt, Reiner Haseloff, of the center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU). More than 200 people were injured, according to media reports.
Authorities believe the driver acted alone, Haseloff said, adding that the man came to Germany in 2006 and worked as a doctor.
German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said the suspect, who was arrested at the scene of the attack, is considered to hold “Islamophobic” views, AFP reported. While saying she did not want to speculate about the motive, Faeser said “the one thing” she could confirm was that the alleged perpetrator had expressed an “Islamophobic” stance, according to the report.
Germany’s election, triggered by the collapse of a three-party coalition led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz, is scheduled for Feb. 23. The opposition CDU are currently leading in opinion polls, followed by the anti-immigrant, far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), which asked, “when will this madness end?”
Migration has become a huge issue in Germany, which took in large numbers of refugees from Syria under former Chancellor Angela Merkel in 2015. With external commentators from Elon Musk, an adviser to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, to Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, already commenting on Friday night’s tragedy, it has the potential to steer the debate even further in that direction.
The likely next German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, has outlined a conservative vision for how he’ll govern, saying he’ll sharply reduce the number of asylum-seekers being allowed to settle in the country.
Current Chancellor Scholz addressed the incident shortly after it happened, saying his thoughts were “with the victims and their families.” He said he stood by the people of Magdeburg and thanked rescue workers “in these anxious hours.”
On Saturday, Scholz visited Magdeburg and vowed that “the full force of the law” would be used in the case. “Now it is important that we investigate and that this is done with all precision and accuracy,” the chancellor said.
According to WELT, POLITICO’s sister publication in the Axel Springer group, the driver had rented a car that he drove to the market that was thronged with revelers. WELT reported that the suspect was recognized as a refugee in 2016 and worked as a doctor in a state-run psychiatric hospital.
Authorities have not ruled out that a piece of luggage found on the passenger seat could contain an explosive device, WELT also reported.
Magdeburg police shut the market amid “extensive police operations” in the area, as images showed dozens of emergency personnel working at the site.
AfD Chair Alice Weidel expressed her condolences, adding pointedly, “When will this madness end?” Her party was endorsed by billionaire tech entrepreneur Musk earlier Friday.
“My thoughts today are with the victims of the brutal and cowardly act in Magdeburg,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a post on X. “My condolences go out to the family and friends, my thanks to the police and rescue workers. This act of violence must be investigated and severely punished.”
Merz called the news “depressing,” adding: “My thoughts are with the victims and their families. I thank all the emergency services who are caring for the injured on site.”
In recent polls by the institute Forschergruppe Wahlen on the main concerns of German voters, the economic crisis overtook migration, which more than a third of respondents said was the most important issue at the moment.
This could swing back after the attack, as it did following a killing at a festival in Solingen, western Germany this summer. Nevertheless, the leading parties have already adopted a tougher stance on migration in their election manifestos. The conservative CDU, like the AfD, wants to introduce border controls for Germany and make it easier to deport refugees.
German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck described the “terrible news” in a place “where people wanted to spend the Advent season in peace and community. My thoughts are with the victims and their families. I thank all the emergency services on site who are doing everything they can to help and to clarify the background.”
Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock expressed shock at the incident, and sent condolences to the victims and their families.
Thursday marked the eighth anniversary of the attack on Berlin’s Breitscheidplatz Christmas market when Islamist Anis Amri killed 12 people with a truck. Another victim later died from his injuries.
Nette Nöstlinger contributed to this report.
This article is being updated.
