An important development in German politics: the SPD has formally proposed a “Stadtbild-Gipfel” (city-scape summit) in the Bundesregierung’s Chancellor’s Office, in response to remarks made by Friedrich Merz on the state of urban public space. 
Specifically:
Merz had stated that “we still of course have this problem in the urban landscape” when referring to migration and public-space challenges. 
In response, a group of SPD members led by Adis Ahmetović presented an eight-point plan calling for a round-table involving large cities, municipal associations and parliamentary groups. 
The SPD emphasises that the issues affecting the urban landscape are multi-faceted – social inequality, housing shortfall, neglected public spaces – not just migration. 
Meanwhile, the CDU/CSU Union has declined to support the summit proposal, arguing the Chancellor has already identified the problem and further debate isn’t necessary.
This debate is more than a semantic disagreement: it reflects deeper questions about urban policy, public security, integration and how we define “our cityscape”. For professionals thinking about city development, governance and social cohesion, it’s a moment worth observing.