Berlin – A key political ally has called for the overhaul of the German Chancellor Angela Merkel refugee policies which he blamed for a humiliating weekend loss in a state election.
Seehofer, Premier of the southern state of Bavaria, and the Bavarian-based allies of Merkel’s Christian Democrats (CDU) in the national parliament, on Tuesday in Berlin attributed the Sunday’s “disastrous” outcome in the eastern German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern election result to Merkel’s liberal refugee policy.
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Seehofer, who is also the Chief of the arch-conservative Christian Social Union (CSU), in his comments underline the deep divisions in the chancellor’s ruling coalition caused by the arrival during the last year of about 1 million refugees to Germany.
“The situation is highly threatening for the CDU-CSU, and people don’t want the Berlin policy, it’s not worth the stress.
Seehofer, also disclosed that the CSU has also renewed its call for the chancellor to step up border controls and impose an upper limit on the number of refugees entering Germany.
He also stressed that apart from refugees and immigration, he is demanding that the chancellor clarify her government’s stance on taxation, security and pensions by October.
Observers noted that Seehofer has long railed against the welcoming approach to refugees and has threatened legal action if she does not change path.
They said that the battle between Merkel and Seehofer on refugees and immigration has been a key factor in the slump in support for the CDU-CSU bloc.
They also confirmed that CDU was beaten back into a humiliating third place in the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern election following a surge in support for the new right-wing populist Alternative for Germany. (dpa/NAN)