Merkel has quickly changed her tune and is encouraging German authorities to rapidly deport the migrants who have been denied asylum.
The criticism of the German chancellor’s open-door policy continues to grow momentum. German citizens are tired of the chaos caused by the influx of refugees being allowed in the country.
One of the major problems is that foreigners who haven’t even been granted asylum are staying in Germany.
Apparently, Merkel is now stressing how important it is to deport this large group. Roughly 215,000 migrants have been rejected rights of residency.
“The most important thing in the coming months is repatriation, repatriation and once more, repatriation,” said Merkel to conservative members of parliament.
Merkel has previously only had a “we can do it” attitude, but it looks like she may be cracking from the pressure.
“Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere told a cabinet meeting on Wednesday that 21,000 people had been repatriated last year and 35,000 in the first seven months of this year. He wants to repatriate at least 100,000 this year,” writes Reuters.
Merkel reaffirmed this on Saturday at a conference of the youth wing of her party in Paderborn. “We need a national push to deport those who are rejected. That’s indisputable and we’re working hard on that at the moment,” said Merkel.
She stated that this will require an increase in administrative measures and there will inevitably be an increase in immigration staff.
If she was able to deport tens of thousands of these rejected migrants, this may increase her success if she does in fact run for a fourth term.
Her approval ratings are at an all-time low, specifically they have slumped from 67% to 45% in the last year. According an Infratest Dimap poll by ARD TV, her conservative support is down to 31%, which is an 8% drop from a year ago.
According to the German statistics agency Destatis, 138,000 Germans left last year, a number that has spiked. This increase is correlated to the migrant influx.
Now Merkel is telling lawmakers that it is important to take the public’s concerns seriously.
As Merkel and her CDU are losing supporters, the anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) party is gaining traction. Even though her recent remarks are about deporting some migrants, she is going to have to let go of the open-door policy or she is going to lose more support.