According to the information presented by the German finance ministry, the country’s government is expected to spend about €77 billion on feeding, housing, and training refugees over the next four years. The updated budget estimates showed that migrant-related costs will be the biggest expenditure item for the period from 2017 to 2020. For example, Germany needs €24 billion to cover the social benefits granted to migrants.
Most experts suppose that such a situation can sharpen populist sentiment. The recognition that the government will spend such big money on its refugee policy can lead to public discontent. Radical parties, in their turn, could benefit from the situation ahead of the general election in autumn 2017.
“Those who are critical towards migrants feel vindicated by such migration-related cost figures and are likely to vote for anti-immigration parties,” said Hermann Binkert, head of opinion-polling institute INSA.
