German Chancellor Angela Merkel speaks during a party convention of the Christian Democrats (CDU) in Karlsruhe, Germany, Monday, Dec. 14, 2015.
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Ms Merkel herself has been accused of “not having a plan” for the refugee crisis and at party meetings she was recently confronted by placard waving party members demanding that she resign.
Chancellor Angela Merkel said that she wants a significant drop in the number of refugees coming to Germany, which is expected to be more than 340,000 this year.
But after weeks of damaging infighting in which the right wing of the party demanded an upper limit on newcomers, Merkel insisted Germany would continue to live up to its “humanitarian responsibilities”.
Discussing Merkel’s hard year, the comedian lifted up Time’s Person of the Year issue and joked how “Greece wanted to borrow more money”.
“We did not cling to terminology – it was all about the cause”, said the 30-year-old head of the Junge Union, Paul Zimiak, implying that he had got what he wanted.
“We will reduce the number of refugees noticeably”, said the chancellor, adding: “This is in Germany’s and Europe’s interest, and in the interest of the refugees”.
“It’s part of the identity of our country to do great things”, she said. Merkel boasted that it was her party that extended the “safe countries of origin” list to include three Balkan states; Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Macedonia.
Merkel made clear that she would further implement the relevant measures that Germany has adopted so far, partially with a hard tone, to make sure that her country won’t be overwhelmed by the refugee influx in the long term.
As a top economic and political power, Germany has a “humanitarian imperative” to accept people fleeing turmoil in Syria, Merkel said.
The chancellor won a battle with the right-wing of the CDU in the run-up to the gathering by torpedoing its bid to set a cap on the number of asylum seekers Germany would take in-a proposal she has denounced as immoral and unconstitutional.
“What we have seen on television now comes literally to our door”.
“We have gladly taken up the advantages of Schengen – free movement, business, student exchanges – but we weren’t ready to deal with what happened when free movement was put to the test”.
Merkel’s remarks came amid growing criticism inside her Christian Democratic bloc over her open-door policy for asylum seekers.
Urging her party to believe in itself, she cited Germany’s transformation in the last decade – from sick man to European powerhouse – as proof of what was possible when people embraced change to cope with a huge challenge.
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Merkel launched the two-day event in Karlsruhe on Monday, promising to meet the challenge posed by the migrant crisis in her opening day speech.
