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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/mar/14/angela-merkel-refuses-to-abandon-refugee-policy-despite-election-setbacks
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| Merkel refuses to abandon refugee policy despite election setbacks | Merkel refuses to abandon refugee policy despite election setbacks |
| (6 months later) | |
| Angela Merkel has described Sunday’s regional elections in Germany as a “difficult day” for her party after the strong gains made by the anti-immigrant Alternative für Deutschland (AfD), but said she would stick by her open-door policy on refugees. | Angela Merkel has described Sunday’s regional elections in Germany as a “difficult day” for her party after the strong gains made by the anti-immigrant Alternative für Deutschland (AfD), but said she would stick by her open-door policy on refugees. |
| “The refugee question requires a European solution – a sustainable solution – and that solution requires time,” the German chancellor said at a press conference in Berlin on Monday. | “The refugee question requires a European solution – a sustainable solution – and that solution requires time,” the German chancellor said at a press conference in Berlin on Monday. |
| AfD entered state parliaments in all three regions that voted, winning 24% of the vote in Saxony-Anhalt and more than 10% in Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate. Merkel’s Christian Democrat party (CDU) lost support in Baden-Württemberg, a region dominated by the CDU since the end of the second world war, and Rhineland Palatinate but remained the largest party in Saxony-Anhalt. | AfD entered state parliaments in all three regions that voted, winning 24% of the vote in Saxony-Anhalt and more than 10% in Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate. Merkel’s Christian Democrat party (CDU) lost support in Baden-Württemberg, a region dominated by the CDU since the end of the second world war, and Rhineland Palatinate but remained the largest party in Saxony-Anhalt. |
| She conceded that the rise of the AfD was a sign of protest against the “unresolved question of the number of refugees” and “fears about integration”. She said she saw the AfD as “not an existential problem for the CDU, but a problem”. | She conceded that the rise of the AfD was a sign of protest against the “unresolved question of the number of refugees” and “fears about integration”. She said she saw the AfD as “not an existential problem for the CDU, but a problem”. |
| More than 1.1 million refugees have crossed into Germany in the past year, although authorities have recorded a drop in numbers since the closure of the west Balkan route from Greece to central Europe. Only 89 refugees entered the country last Wednesday and 92 on Thursday, according to a report in Die Welt newspaper. | More than 1.1 million refugees have crossed into Germany in the past year, although authorities have recorded a drop in numbers since the closure of the west Balkan route from Greece to central Europe. Only 89 refugees entered the country last Wednesday and 92 on Thursday, according to a report in Die Welt newspaper. |
| Shortly before Merkel’s comments, AfD’s leader, Frauke Petry, hailed her party’s success as “a great day for democracy”. Pointing at the comparatively high voter turnout for the state parliamentary elections and the significant numbers of previous non-voters who had opted for the AfD, Petry said: “We are the only party in Germany that represents an increased civic participation.” | Shortly before Merkel’s comments, AfD’s leader, Frauke Petry, hailed her party’s success as “a great day for democracy”. Pointing at the comparatively high voter turnout for the state parliamentary elections and the significant numbers of previous non-voters who had opted for the AfD, Petry said: “We are the only party in Germany that represents an increased civic participation.” |
| The 40-year-old, who has led the party since the resignation of founding member Bernd Lucke last July, said the AfD was a “party of social cohesion” as its members were the only ones who dared to talk about the “‘ethnicisation’ of violence” in the refugee crisis. | The 40-year-old, who has led the party since the resignation of founding member Bernd Lucke last July, said the AfD was a “party of social cohesion” as its members were the only ones who dared to talk about the “‘ethnicisation’ of violence” in the refugee crisis. |
| About 50 people attended a demonstration organised by the Left party against the AfD outside the building where Petry’s press conference was held. | About 50 people attended a demonstration organised by the Left party against the AfD outside the building where Petry’s press conference was held. |
| Sunday’s results suggest that German politicians increasingly appear to have two options: rally behind their chancellor or rail against her. | Sunday’s results suggest that German politicians increasingly appear to have two options: rally behind their chancellor or rail against her. |
| Although AfD enjoyed considerable momentum, the majority of votes still went to parties who support Merkel’s pro-refugee stance. In all three states, incumbent premiers held on to their seat. The Green party candidate in Baden-Württemberg and Social Democratic (SPD) candidate in Rhineland-Palatinate increased their vote after resolutely backing the chancellor’s open-border position. | Although AfD enjoyed considerable momentum, the majority of votes still went to parties who support Merkel’s pro-refugee stance. In all three states, incumbent premiers held on to their seat. The Green party candidate in Baden-Württemberg and Social Democratic (SPD) candidate in Rhineland-Palatinate increased their vote after resolutely backing the chancellor’s open-border position. |
| But a number of senior CDU figures are using the party’s poor poll performance to criticise Merkel’s management of the refugee issue. Saxony-Anhalt’s premier Reiner Haseloff, who retained his office but whose coalition with the SPD lost its majority, called for a change in his party’s direction. “When we have such a strong force appearing next to the CDU and the CSU, then we cannot continue like this,” he said. | But a number of senior CDU figures are using the party’s poor poll performance to criticise Merkel’s management of the refugee issue. Saxony-Anhalt’s premier Reiner Haseloff, who retained his office but whose coalition with the SPD lost its majority, called for a change in his party’s direction. “When we have such a strong force appearing next to the CDU and the CSU, then we cannot continue like this,” he said. |
| The leader of the CDU’s Bavarian sister party, already a vocal opponent of Merkel’s open-border stance, described the election result as a “tectonic shift in the political landscape”. Horst Seehofer of the CSU said: “The main reason [for the election results] is the refugee policy. There is no point denying that. | The leader of the CDU’s Bavarian sister party, already a vocal opponent of Merkel’s open-border stance, described the election result as a “tectonic shift in the political landscape”. Horst Seehofer of the CSU said: “The main reason [for the election results] is the refugee policy. There is no point denying that. |
| “It cannot be the case after such an election result that we tell the people: everything will carry on as heretofore.” | “It cannot be the case after such an election result that we tell the people: everything will carry on as heretofore.” |
| With the number of parties in parliament rising to five in all three states where votes took place on Sunday, Germany’s established parties will be relying on coalition government more than ever. | With the number of parties in parliament rising to five in all three states where votes took place on Sunday, Germany’s established parties will be relying on coalition government more than ever. |
| In Saxony-Anhalt, the most likely option is a coalition between the Conservatives, SPD and Greens, colloquially known as a “Kenya coalition”. | In Saxony-Anhalt, the most likely option is a coalition between the Conservatives, SPD and Greens, colloquially known as a “Kenya coalition”. |
| Rhineland-Palatinate may see a “traffic light coalition” between the SPD, Greens and Free Liberals, while the CDU may have to accept their status as the junior partner in a coalition in Baden-Württemberg with the Greens. | Rhineland-Palatinate may see a “traffic light coalition” between the SPD, Greens and Free Liberals, while the CDU may have to accept their status as the junior partner in a coalition in Baden-Württemberg with the Greens. |
| Some newspaper commentators have warned that Germany faces “Austrian conditions”, in which establishment parties found themselves hamstrung by populists. “In our neighbouring country, the political discourse has been poisoned,” wrote Sebastian Fischer in a comment piece for Spiegel Online. | Some newspaper commentators have warned that Germany faces “Austrian conditions”, in which establishment parties found themselves hamstrung by populists. “In our neighbouring country, the political discourse has been poisoned,” wrote Sebastian Fischer in a comment piece for Spiegel Online. |
| “Social Democrats and Christian Democrats are doomed to be locked in an eternal coalition which, in turn, is just what the FPÖ [Freedom Party of Austria] have been waiting for. A vicious circle.” | “Social Democrats and Christian Democrats are doomed to be locked in an eternal coalition which, in turn, is just what the FPÖ [Freedom Party of Austria] have been waiting for. A vicious circle.” |
| Süddeutsche Zeitung’s veteran commentator Heribert Prantl said the most remarkable thing about the AfD was that it had succeeded without a real leader at the top. | Süddeutsche Zeitung’s veteran commentator Heribert Prantl said the most remarkable thing about the AfD was that it had succeeded without a real leader at the top. |
| “We’ve always know that xenophobic attitudes prevail among up to 20% of the population in our country – just like in other EU countries, where far-right parties have long established themselves. But until [now] the prevailing view in Germany was that this bottom crust could not be active without a charismatic leader. It now emerges that such a figure is not required,” he wrote. | “We’ve always know that xenophobic attitudes prevail among up to 20% of the population in our country – just like in other EU countries, where far-right parties have long established themselves. But until [now] the prevailing view in Germany was that this bottom crust could not be active without a charismatic leader. It now emerges that such a figure is not required,” he wrote. |