GERMANY:A leading Christian Democrat (CDU) politician has been accused of right-wing populism for demanding the deportation of "criminal young foreigners".
Roland Koch, premier in the western state of Hesse, was reacting to an attack on a pensioner in Munich by two young men - one Greek and one German-born but of Turkish descent.
Mr Koch's intervention has turned a debate about punishing repeat juvenile offenders after a recent series of brutal attacks into an emotionally charged blame game about failed integration.
"We have too many foreigner criminals," said Mr Koch to Bild newspaper. "When a foreigner doesn't adapt to our rules, they're in the wrong place."
Yesterday he warned immigrants to adapt to German ways or face "consequences".
His rhetoric comes three weeks before a state vote in Hesse in which Mr Koch's CDU could lose its absolute majority or be ousted from power altogether.
CDU leader Angela Merkel has declined to comment directly on Mr Koch's remarks, although other CDU leaders has backed the state premier.
Other political parties have joined immigrant groups in condemning Mr Koch's remarks.
"Koch is known for his ruthless campaigns and now that he's afraid of losing office, he's pulled out this," said Mr Dieter Wiefelsputz, a leading Social Democrat (SPD) figure.
Germany is home to 15 million immigrants, some 18 per cent of the population. Federal statistics suggest that just over a fifth of crimes in the country are committed by non-Germans, down from a third in 1993.
The emotional debate has its roots in the arrival 40 years ago of the first Turkish Gastarbeiter (guest workers). Despite their label, most stayed in Germany: some integrated while others remained in their own Turkish-speaking communities.
German citizenship laws were changed seven years ago to allow these migrant workers, as well as their children and grandchildren apply for a German passport.
But Mr Koch campaigned successfully at the time against allowing dual citizenship. His remarks about "young foreign criminals" are so controversial because the "foreign" perpetrator of the recent Munich attack was born and raised in Germany but does not hold a German passport.
"This is pure populism and incendiary politics by Mr Koch," said Kenan Kolat, a leader of Germany's Turkish community.
"People who commit crimes here are products of this society but as long as we keep distinguishing people by their origin we stigmatise them."