Germany's president is well aware that his office is largely ceremonial and does not come with real power. So it was to be expected that his speech in Davos, entitled "Hoping for Prosperity: Reflections on Flight and Migration to Europe," was more an attempt to explain the current situation than announce something new.

But with Chancellor Angela Merkel under increased pressure to limit the influx of migrants to Germany, Gauck did prepare the ground for just that.

"A strategy to limit immigration can be politically and morally necessary, to ensure the government does not lose its power to act, and to ensure that the majority of the population do not lose their willingness to welcome the refugees in a humane way," Gauck said in Davos. "Thus, a limit is not per se unethical, because it helps to maintain acceptance of migrants."

But Gauck steered clear of detailing when and how immigration will be limited. "The president of Germany always has to be careful not to interfere with operational politics," he said. "Let me just say that we can expect different measures of control and limitation to come into effect this year."

Doing Merkel's job

Not only did Gauck announce a possible change in the stance of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, he also took it upon himself to blast Merkel's most vociferous critics in the formerly Communist capitals of eastern Europe, such as Warsaw and Budapest.

"I have a hard time understanding that refugees are being denied support by countries whose own citizens received support when they were persecuted for political reasons," Gauck said. "And I have a hard time understanding why nationalism is being hailed as a solution when in fact globalisation increases our interdependence."

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