Merkel losing support as 40% call for her to step down over migrant crisis

Angela Merkel is facing a voter backlash against her refugee policy with 40% saying she should resign over the issue. The German chancellor, who enjoyed a surge in popularity last year, appears to have divided her nation over her open door approach to migrants. While two in five wanted her to go, a similar proportion said it was not a reason for her to stand down, a poll found. However, it is a sign that opinions are hardening after more than 1 million refugees fled trouble spots such as Syria and Afghanistan and headed into Europe last year.

We want those with prospects of remaining to be integrated, but we also want to say that we need those who have no prospect of remaining to return.

Angela Merkel

The findings come from the latest Insa poll for Focus magazine, which questioned 2,047 Germans earlier this week. They reflect the tensions simmering beneath Germany’s willingness to take in hundreds of thousands of asylum seekers and which reached boiling point at the start of 2016. More than 100 women were sexually assaulted, robbed or threatened during new year celebrations in Cologne. A separate poll, also released on Friday, showed support for Merkel’s conservative bloc steady at 37%, although the figure was as high as 42% in September.

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