DAILY MAIL
81% of Germans say Merkel has made a mess of the migrant situation as her popularity hits five-year low
by Allan Hall
February 4, 2016

German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s popularity ratings have plunged to five-year low in the wake of the refugee crisis engulfing her country. In the latest poll by broadcaster ARD, a massive 81 per cent of Germans do not think she has a handle on the asylum seekers problem. It came as the government said more than 91,000 asylum seekers arrived last month, underlining the pressure the country faces to diminish the influx of migrants.  On a personal level Mrs Merkel lost 12 points from a poll conducted last month and now has an approval rating of just 46 percent…Germany saw 1.1 million migrants arrive last year and 91,000 last month. Germans are strongly in favour of new restrictions on migrants: 88 per cent of respondents are in favour of reducing social benefits for ‘integration-reluctant’ refugees – those who refuse to attend language or assimilation courses. READ MORE