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| Europe | |
| Rogue minister erodes Merkel's authority in German refugee crisis | |
| 2015-11-13 | |
Critics say her accommodating message in August that "we can do this" - responding to wrenching scenes of refugees faced with border closures and popular hostility in trying to enter some EU states - have spurred migrants to pour into Germany in ever larger numbers, overwhelming the resources of local authorities. Tensions within Merkel's conservative bloc worsened this week after it emerged that Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere tried to tighten controls three weeks ago without informing Merkel or her chief of staff, Peter Altmaier, whom she charged with overseeing the government's handling of the refugee crisis. At issue is de Maiziere's decision to reapply, from Oct. 21, European rules obliging migrants to request asylum in the first EU country they arrive in, overturning a government decision in August to waive the so-called "Dublin rules" for Syrians. Germany has taken in the great majority of migrants in a record-breaking flood into Europe of migrants escaping wars and deprivation in the Middle East, Africa and Asia that is likely to exceed 1 million people by year-end. The initially enthusiastic reception given migrants reaching Germany, Europe's largest and strongest economy, has cooled as local authorities increasingly struggle to house the newcomers. Technically, de Maiziere was not obliged to flag the closing door to his superiors as it fell under his operational remit. But, by acting unilaterally, he has fed discord within the broad governing coalition of conservatives and Social Democrats (SPD), and undermined Merkel. "De Maiziere dupes Merkel," ran a headline in Thursday's edition of the daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung. Compounding Merkel's woes, Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble, a veteran political heavyweight with cult status in the conservative wing of her Christian Democrats (CDU), has backed de Maiziere on the need for steps to stem the refugee flow. Both men have their own reasons for asserting themselves. | |
| Posted by:trailing wife |
| #2 European Conservative - a fine new German word! |
| Posted by: 3dc 2015-11-13 23:18 |
| #1 Merkeldämmerung |
| Posted by: European Conservative 2015-11-13 16:37 |