Under fire in refugee crisis, Merkel goes on offensive

AFP, BERLIN: Under growing domestic pressure over her open-door policy on refugees, Germany’s Angela Merkel has come out swinging, insisting “we will manage” the crisis set to define her nearly decade-old chancellorship.
Usually calm and measured if not dull, Merkel spoke passionately in an hour-long TV interview late Wednesday on one of Germany’s most popular talk shows.
Amid the historic migrant influx, she implored citizens to harness the bold can-do spirit of Germany’s reunification a quarter-century ago, and to remember that granting safe haven to persecuted people is a core European ideal.
“We will manage this, of that I am firmly convinced,” she repeated mantra-like, while brushing off questions about whether her greatest policy gamble will win her the Nobel Peace Prize or cost her her job.
The migrant crisis has deeply polarised Germany. After the “summer fairytale” of volunteers cheering refugees at railway stations, the mood has darkened in many parts as have the autumn skies over crowded tent cities.
As thousands more migrants have kept coming every day, straining resources, doubts have grown among many about whether Germany can cope.
The expected number of arrivals this year is at least 800,000, or one percent of the national population, and could swell to perhaps one million, and the influx is not expected to slow any time soon.
“Merkel’s toughest battle,” ran a headline in Bild, Germany’s top-selling newspaper, which judged that “the refugee crisis is decisive for the political future of the chancellor”.
It said the leader is now “in combat mode”. Two years ahead of the next federal election, it said, “the question isn’t just, will she return to the chancellory, but, can she stay in office?”
Merkel, usually voted Germany’s most popular politician, has slipped to fourth place in a recent ranking.
Unusually for the “teflon chancellor”, hailed at home for steering Europe’s top economy safely through years of eurozone turmoil, some of the harshest sniping has now come from her own usually loyal ranks. More than 30 local and state politicians of her Christian Democrats (CDU) complained in an open letter that “the current open-borders policy conforms neither with European or German law, nor is it consistent with the CDU programme”.

Under fire in refugee crisis, Merkel goes on offensive

AFP, BERLIN: Under growing domestic pressure over her open-door policy on refugees, Germanys Angela Merkel has come out swinging, insisting we will manage the crisis set to define her nearly decade-old chancellorship. Usually calm and measured if not dull, Merkel spoke passionately in an hour-long TV interview late Wednesday on one of Germanys most popular talk shows. Amid the historic migrant influx, she implored citizens to harness the bold can-do spirit of Germanys reunification a quarter-century ago, and to remember that granting safe haven to persecuted people is a core European ideal. We will manage this, of that I am firmly convinced, she repeated mantra-like, while brushing off questions about whether her greatest policy gamble will win her the Nobel Peace Prize or cost her her job. The migrant crisis has deeply polarised Germany. After the summer fairytale of volunteers cheering refugees at railway stations, the mood has darkened in many parts as have the autumn skies over crowded tent cities. As thousands more migrants have kept coming every day, straining resources, doubts have grown among many about whether Germany can cope. The expected number of arrivals this year is at least 800,000, or one percent of the national population, and could swell to perhaps one million, and the influx is not expected to slow any time soon. Merkels toughest battle, ran a headline in Bild, Germanys top-selling newspaper, which judged that the refugee crisis is decisive for the political future of the chancellor. It said the leader is now in combat mode. Two years ahead of the next federal election, it said, the question isnt just, will she return to the chancellory, but, can she stay in office? Merkel, usually voted Germanys most popular politician, has slipped to fourth place in a recent ranking. Unusually for the teflon chancellor, hailed at home for steering Europes top economy safely through years of eurozone turmoil, some of the harshest sniping has now come from her own usually loyal ranks. More than 30 local and state politicians of her Christian Democrats (CDU) complained in an open letter that the current open-borders policy conforms neither with European or German law, nor is it consistent with the CDU programme.