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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Angela Merkel pledges to cut German immigration figures but rejects limit | Angela Merkel pledges to cut German immigration figures but rejects limit |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Angela Merkel has promised to “tangibly” reduce the number of refugees and migrants entering Germany in an attempt to quell a rebellion in her conservative ranks, but rejected calls to impose a limit. | Angela Merkel has promised to “tangibly” reduce the number of refugees and migrants entering Germany in an attempt to quell a rebellion in her conservative ranks, but rejected calls to impose a limit. |
| At a gathering of her Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party, Merkel said Germany would pursue a range of measures to stem the flow of asylum seekers, expected to reach about 1 million this year. | At a gathering of her Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party, Merkel said Germany would pursue a range of measures to stem the flow of asylum seekers, expected to reach about 1 million this year. |
| But after weeks of infighting in which the right wing of the party demanded an upper limit on arrivals, Merkel said Germany would continue to live up to its “humanitarian responsibilities”. | But after weeks of infighting in which the right wing of the party demanded an upper limit on arrivals, Merkel said Germany would continue to live up to its “humanitarian responsibilities”. |
| “We want to tangibly reduce the number of refugees arriving,” Merkel said to applause. “With an approach focused on the German, European and global level, we will succeed in regulating and limiting migration.” | “We want to tangibly reduce the number of refugees arriving,” Merkel said to applause. “With an approach focused on the German, European and global level, we will succeed in regulating and limiting migration.” |
| However, she said Germany had a “moral and political” duty as Europe’s top economic power to continue to help desperate people, particularly those from war-ravaged Syria. | However, she said Germany had a “moral and political” duty as Europe’s top economic power to continue to help desperate people, particularly those from war-ravaged Syria. |
| She drew loud applause as she repeated her rallying cry “We can do it” during an impassioned hour-long speech, capped by nine minutes in which the 1,000 delegates took to their feet to cheer their chancellor, who beamed and waved to the crowd. | |
| Merkel appealed to the venerable party’s sense of history, saying that the same strength that allowed it “to rebuild from the rubble of the war to create the economic miracle, and to go from division to a reunified country” would get Germany through the refugee crisis. | |
| Merkel condemned rich countries for failing to properly fund the UN refugee agency and World Food Programme, saying this was unforgivable | Merkel condemned rich countries for failing to properly fund the UN refugee agency and World Food Programme, saying this was unforgivable |
| Before an EU summit this week, Merkel said she was banking on a multi-pronged approach to cut refugee numbers, urging stronger protection for the bloc’s external borders, support for Turkey to host refugees long-term and a long-shot bid for a distribution scheme among EU member states. | Before an EU summit this week, Merkel said she was banking on a multi-pronged approach to cut refugee numbers, urging stronger protection for the bloc’s external borders, support for Turkey to host refugees long-term and a long-shot bid for a distribution scheme among EU member states. |
| She touted a range of measures currently being undertaken in Germany, including extending a list of safe countries of origin, expediting repatriation of rejected asylum seekers and increasing staff levels to help process applicants. | She touted a range of measures currently being undertaken in Germany, including extending a list of safe countries of origin, expediting repatriation of rejected asylum seekers and increasing staff levels to help process applicants. |
| The gathering of about 1,000 delegates in the south-western city of Karlsruhe was viewed as one of the most important of Merkel’s 15-year tenure at the helm of the party. | The gathering of about 1,000 delegates in the south-western city of Karlsruhe was viewed as one of the most important of Merkel’s 15-year tenure at the helm of the party. |
| After weeks of internal debate, the CDU staged a show of unity before three key state elections in March and a decision next year on whether Merkel will stand for a fourth term in the 2017 general election. | After weeks of internal debate, the CDU staged a show of unity before three key state elections in March and a decision next year on whether Merkel will stand for a fourth term in the 2017 general election. |
| Ahead of an EU summit this week, Merkel said she was banking on a multi-pronged approach to cut refugee numbers, urging bolstered protection for the bloc’s external borders, support for Turkey to host refugees long-term, and a long-shot bid for a distribution scheme among EU member states. | |
| She also touted a range of measures already undertaken in Germany including extending a list of safe countries of origin, expediting repatriation of rejected asylum seekers and beefing up staffing to process applicants. | |
| Merkel is widely seen as Europe’s most influential leader and was awarded the “Person of the Year” award from TIME magazine last week and the Financial Times on Monday. | |
| But her open-door stance has drawn fire at home and in many corners of Europe, with critics accusing her of having a big heart but no clear strategy. | |
| The chancellor won a battle with the right-wing of the CDU in the run-up to the gathering by torpedoing its bid to set a cap on the number of asylum seekers Germany would take in - a proposal she has denounced as immoral and unconstitutional. | |
| The compromise text, due to be passed later Monday, instead calls for a “tangible reduction of asylum seekers and refugees”. | |
| Germany is divided roughly down the middle by the refugee issue, with a poll on Friday showing 49% opposed Merkel’s stance while 47% supported it. | |
| The CDU has grown jittery as the disaffection has given a boost to the right-wing populist AfD party, which has soared to 10% in some polls. | |
| “Many traditional voters feel homeless,” news weekly Der Spiegel wrote in its current cover story headlined “The Anxious Nation”. | |
| Nevertheless, the CDU has recovered its footing in the polls after a steep drop in the autumn and is now tallying about 39%, just 2.5 points off its 2013 showing in the general election. | |
| The SPD, which has been riven between centrists and leftists since Merkel booted then chancellor Gerhard Schroeder out of office in 2005, trails far behind at about 24 percent. | |
| Merkel also has no clear challenger within her party, as even CDU critics acknowledge that she is their strongest asset at the polls. |