Merkel risks losing her job due to the immigration crisis.
Merkel's position as German Chancellor is under threat as the ruling coalition faces the risk of collapse due to disagreements over immigration.
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German Chancellor Angela Merkel(Right)and Interior Minister Horst Seehofer at a press conference in Berlin in October 2017. Photo:AFP |
"We are in a serious situation because the immigration crisis has turned into a power issue," German MP Kai Whittaker told yesterday.BBC"It's very likely that the situation will change next weekend, with a new prime minister most likely."
German Chancellor Angela Merkel is maintaining a ruling coalition between her Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the Christian Social Union (CSU) led by Interior Minister Horst Seehofer. However, this coalition is facing serious disagreements over immigration, threatening Merkel's position.
The immigration crisis began with Merkel's "open door" policy in 2015 to support Syrian refugees. However, it triggered a wave of 1.6 million immigrants from Africa, Asia, and the Middle East into Germany and its neighboring European Union countries, creating a crisis of housing, employment, crime, and other social problems.
Merkel's open-border policy has met with opposition from Interior Minister Seehofer, who earlier this week proposed a plan to instruct German border guards to prevent registered refugees from other European countries from entering the country.
However, Merkel objected and held several emergency meetings with party members to seek support. While pledging their support for the German Chancellor, CDU lawmakers also demanded that Merkel change her "open door" policy towards immigrants, while CSU lawmakers declared their support for Seehofer.
The rift between the two-party coalition puts Merkel in a difficult position, presenting her with a serious power challenge that could limit her ability to negotiate with other EU members.
Merkel's position as German Chancellor is also under threat because a conflict with Seehofer could shatter the hard-won political coalition between the two, meaning Merkel would once again lack the support of a parliamentary majority and might have to call a new national election.
A poll released on Thursday showed that 86% of Germans support stricter border controls for asylum seekers.
Anti-immigrant sentiment in Germany has intensified following the accusation that a 20-year-old Iraqi refugee raped and murdered 14-year-old Susanna Feldman on May 22nd.