EUROPE’S IMMIGRATION CRISIS: Two Out of Three Germans Want Merkel Replaced.
So far, the political repercussions of the European immigration crisis seem to have hit everyone except Angela Merkel. The Austrian government has fallen, extremist parties have overtaken mainstream ones—but the woman whom many regard as the primary author of Europe’s unpopular policies has so far sat relatively unchallenged. (Germany’s far-right party, the AfD, is “up,” but only in German terms; other nations wish their far-right parties were only polling at about 15 percent.) However, this long period of political dominance may now be drawing to a close.
Three sudden developments in the last few days suggest that the Chancellor is in greater jeopardy than any time since the beginning of the crisis. . . .
There’s still nobody out there who can take on Merkel directly—yet. But the chances of such a thing happening soon are now higher than they’ve been in some time; a political storm seems to be gathering in the most powerful nation in Europe.
She’s weaker than she looks. Or than she realizes.