Barack Obama in Berlin

Speaking to conference of youth about immigration and nationalism.

Obama made the comments during a two-hour town hall meeting in Berlin, which hundreds of young leaders from across Europe attended. 

"Immigration issues are driving a lot of the political turmoil here in Europe and in my own country," Obama said in a shared video of the talk. 

Urging those in the crowd to view those who expressed opposition to immigration with empathy, Obama said: "We can't label everyone who is disturbed by migration as racist. 

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During the talk, Obama also called for "a humane, intelligent, thoughtful, orderly immigration policy that is grounded in our better selves and our better values. 

"And we're going to have to figure out how do we make the people who are already in a country feel comfortable with newcomers," Obama said.

"That requires education and exposure and reducing fear on the part of people who are already there," he said, adding, "It also requires some levels of adaptation from the people who are coming in."

Obama also touched on the rise of nationalism across Europe and North America, asserting that "nationalism, particularly on the far right, is re-emerging." 

"We know where that leads," he said. 

"Europe knows better than anyone where that leads.

"It leads to conflict, bloodshed and catastrophe," he said. 

O warns against the circular firing squad

While speaking at a town hall in Berlin, Germany, on Saturday, former President Barack Obama addressed divisions within the Democratic party and outlined his concerns about the fiercely partisan political climate.

“One of the things I do worry about sometimes among progressives in the United States—maybe it’s true here as well—is a certain kind of rigidity where we say, ‘Oh, I’m sorry, this is how it’s going to be,” Obama said at the town hall, organized by The Obama Foundation. 

“And then we start sometimes creating what’s called a 'circular firing squad' where you start shooting at your allies because one of them is straying from purity on the issues.

He continued: "When that happens, typically the overall effort and movement weakens, so I think...you have to recognize that the way we’ve structured democracy requires you to take into account people who don’t agree with you.”

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Organized by The Obama Foundation, the town hall brought together more than 300 young leaders from private, public and nonprofit institutions and organizations, according to a statement.