Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Party Bridles at Her Open-Door Migrant Policy - Decision to let migrants in puts German leader on collision course with party
From The Wall Street Journal:
Ms. Merkel’s decision last month to open the borders to hundreds of thousands of migrants from the Middle East, Afghanistan and Africa has put her on a collision course with many in her party, facing the seemingly invulnerable German leader with one of her toughest political challenges since she rose to power a decade ago. With as many as 10,000 migrants still pouring in everyday, mostly into the conservative stronghold of Bavaria in Germany’s south, even some of the chancellor’s allies are growing strident in their criticism.
They say Ms. Merkel is out of touch and without a plan, warning that what could be more than a million migrants this year will overwhelm Germany’s public services, security, and culture. And they are puzzled and rankled by a leader who built up her power with a calm and crowd-pleasing pragmatism, but now appears guided as never before by personal conviction.
Yet she has stuck to her core message that Germany is financially, economically and morally strong enough to weather the challenge. In her television interview, she said it was an illusion to think the country could close itself to the migrants.
“How is this supposed to work? You cannot close the borders,” she said. “We can’t put an end to the arrivals.”
“That’s obviously wrong,” said Hans-Peter Uhl, a conservative Bavarian lawmaker. “If Obama were to open the border with Mexico, he’d be impeached on ground of mental illness.”
“The disagreement is fundamental,” said Michael Stübgen, a CDU lawmaker who has sat in parliament since 1990. “Our capacities are exhausted and there is concern that the system will implode if we do not regain control of our borders. But the chancellor disagrees and so the conflict is unsolved.”
For now, Ms. Merkel retains the grudging support of most of her lawmakers. She is still among Germany’s most popular politicians and one with unique cross-party appeal. But for the man with the poster—and many CDU members across the country—she has become a liability.
Ms. Merkel’s decision last month to open the borders to hundreds of thousands of migrants from the Middle East, Afghanistan and Africa has put her on a collision course with many in her party, facing the seemingly invulnerable German leader with one of her toughest political challenges since she rose to power a decade ago. With as many as 10,000 migrants still pouring in everyday, mostly into the conservative stronghold of Bavaria in Germany’s south, even some of the chancellor’s allies are growing strident in their criticism.
They say Ms. Merkel is out of touch and without a plan, warning that what could be more than a million migrants this year will overwhelm Germany’s public services, security, and culture. And they are puzzled and rankled by a leader who built up her power with a calm and crowd-pleasing pragmatism, but now appears guided as never before by personal conviction.
Yet she has stuck to her core message that Germany is financially, economically and morally strong enough to weather the challenge. In her television interview, she said it was an illusion to think the country could close itself to the migrants.
“How is this supposed to work? You cannot close the borders,” she said. “We can’t put an end to the arrivals.”
“That’s obviously wrong,” said Hans-Peter Uhl, a conservative Bavarian lawmaker. “If Obama were to open the border with Mexico, he’d be impeached on ground of mental illness.”
“The disagreement is fundamental,” said Michael Stübgen, a CDU lawmaker who has sat in parliament since 1990. “Our capacities are exhausted and there is concern that the system will implode if we do not regain control of our borders. But the chancellor disagrees and so the conflict is unsolved.”
For now, Ms. Merkel retains the grudging support of most of her lawmakers. She is still among Germany’s most popular politicians and one with unique cross-party appeal. But for the man with the poster—and many CDU members across the country—she has become a liability.
posted by Sid Cottingham | 5:32 PM
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