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Forget Turks – integrate the wealthy

3 September 2010
Presseurop
Der Freitag
Der Freitag, 3 September 2010

While the "Sarrazin debate" concerning the lack of integration on the part of Muslim immigrants into mainstream German society continues, Der Freitag takes the opposite tack, proposing the integration of... the upper middle class! According to the Berlin daily, German society has failed to integrate the richest ten percent of its population, who have no recourse but to remain segregated in beautiful neighbourhoods where homes are often equipped with swimming pools and typically have living rooms of only 65 square meters. Their children sadly grow up without any connection to social reality, observes Der Freitag, for whom this privileged minority are those who "truly object to integration". The paper insists that – just like their Muslim-minority counterparts, "These highly-paid individuals must take the first step".