Refugee
crisis pushes support for Germany's Angela Merkel to four-year low
Poll
by public broadcaster ARD finds 81% of people do not believe the
government is handling the challenge well
Reuters
Thursday 4 February
2016 01.05 GMT
Popular support for
the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, has tumbled to its lowest level
for four-and-a-half years, a poll showed on Wednesday, with a large
majority of voters sceptical that her government has the refugee
crisis under control.
The survey for
public broadcaster ARD also showed a drop in support for Merkel’s
conservatives, while backing for the anti-immigrant Alternative for
Germany (AFD) party rose to its highest ever point in the poll.
Merkel has come
under increasing pressure to reduce the number of migrants after
Germany took in 1.1 million people in 2015. Public unease has also
grown following a slew of sexual assaults on women in Cologne on New
Year’s Eve.
The survey,
conducted on 1-2 February, showed just 46% of Germans supported her,
the lowest proportion since August 2011. In April 2015, before the
migrant crisis, she enjoyed 75% backing.
The poll also found
81% did not believe the government was handling the refugee crisis
well.
The finance
minister, Wolfgang Schaeuble, a senior member in Merkel’s cabinet
and respected veteran in her centre-right bloc, on Wednesday defended
Merkel’s decision to open German borders.
“I think we have
done the right thing,” Schaeuble said in a speech in the northern
city of Hamburg, adding that Germany also had a special
responsibility in light of its Nazi past and role during the second
world war.
He said the fact the
government managed to hold out despite growing pressure would turn
out to be a “strong asset” for Germany.
Backing for Merkel’s
conservative bloc, comprising her Christian Democrats (CDU) and the
Bavarian Christian Social Union (CSU), also fell four points to 35
points.
The results
highlight the challenge the grand coalition parties – the CDU, CSU
and Social Democrats (SPD) – face to convince voters they can
master the refugee crisis before three state elections scheduled in
March.
Meanwhile, the AFD’s
popularity rose three points to 12%. Its leader suggested at the
weekend that police be given powers to use firearms against illegal
immigrants.
Responding to
popular pressure, the government agreed last week to tighten asylum
rules. On Wednesday, the cabinet backed plans to declare Morocco,
Algeria and Tunisia “safe countries”, which would end their
citizens’ chances of being granted asylum.
The poll showed the
public supported efforts to restrict immigration, with 88% of those
questioned in favour of cutting benefits for refugees who did not
integrate and 78% approving of declaring north African countries
“safe”.
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