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Did Merkel's 2015 decision attract more migration to Germany?

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  • Tjaden, Jasper
  • Heidland, Tobias

Abstract

In 2015, German Chancellor Angela Merkel decided to allow over a million asylum seekers to cross the border into Germany. One key concern was that her decision would signal an open‐door policy to aspiring migrants worldwide – thus further increasing migration to Germany and making the country permanently more attractive to irregular and humanitarian migrants. This ‘pull‐effect’ hypothesis has been a mainstay of policy discussions ever since. With the continued global rise in forced displacement, not appearing welcoming to migrants has become a guiding principle for the asylum policy of many large receiving countries. In this article, we exploit the unique case study that Merkel's 2015 decision provides for answering the fundamental question of whether welcoming migration policies have sustained effects on migration towards destination countries. We analyze an extensive range of data on migration inflows, migration aspirations and online search interest between 2000 and 2020. The results reject the ‘pull effect’ hypothesis while reaffirming states’ capacity to adapt to changing contexts and regulate migration.

Suggested Citation

  • Tjaden, Jasper & Heidland, Tobias, 2024. "Did Merkel's 2015 decision attract more migration to Germany?," Open Access Publications from Kiel Institute for the World Economy 294184, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:ifwkie:294184
    DOI: 10.1111/1475-6765.12669
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Andreea Avramescu & Arkadiusz Wiśniowski, 2021. "Now-casting Romanian migration into the United Kingdom by using Google Search engine data," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 45(40), pages 1219-1254.
    2. Philippe Wanner, 2021. "How well can we estimate immigration trends using Google data?," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 55(4), pages 1181-1202, August.
    3. Douglas S. Massey & Jorge Durand & Karen A. Pren, 2014. "Explaining Undocumented Migration to the U.S," International Migration Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48(4), pages 1028-1061, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    Keywords

    migration; policy; refugee; pull effect; Germany;
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