Berlin attack may make Merkel's re-election quest rougher

[webfact]

Berlin attack may make Merkel's re-election quest rougher

By GEIR MOULSON

 

BERLIN (AP) — Chancellor Angela Merkel already knew that her campaign for a fourth term as Germany's leader will be her most difficult yet. The deadly truck attack on a Christmas market may have made it tougher — and is already polarizing opinion.

 

A nationalist party that has assailed Merkel's acceptance of migrants leapt on events in Berlin well before authorities even concluded that the incident was an attack, with a prominent member proclaiming the 12 victims to be "Merkel's dead."

 

Monday's attack also threatened to rekindle tensions between Merkel and Bavarian conservative allies, who have sniped at her migrant policies and demanded a cap on the number of newcomers that Germany will accept, and whose supporters are an important source of votes.

 

A man arrested after the truck attack Monday night in Berlin and initially treated as a suspect came from Pakistan and registered as an asylum-seeker in Germany last year. Later Tuesday, he was released for lack of evidence tying him to the attack.

 

Merkel said it would be "particularly sickening" if the assailant were confirmed to be an asylum-seeker — both for Germans who help refugees and "for the many people who really need our help and are making an effort to integrate in our country."

 

Leaders around Europe and beyond are watching Merkel's political fortunes closely, after she emerged as a beacon of tolerance and defender of Western liberal values amid encroaching populism elsewhere.

 

Electoral math still very much favors Merkel emerging as chancellor again from a parliamentary election expected next September.

Her conservative Union bloc has a tidy lead in polls over her center-left rivals, who look unlikely to muster a majority for a new left-wing coalition. The nationalist, anti-migration Alternative for Germany, or AfD, has surged over the past year, but its often-provocative rhetoric remains a turnoff for most Germans — its poll ratings have peaked at around 15 percent — and no other party will deal with it.

 

Merkel's calm handling of crises has been an asset over 11 years as chancellor. But the past year has shown that her personal popularity is vulnerable to at least short-term hits from migrant-related incidents, with polls showing dips after sexual assaults and robberies in Cologne last New Year's Eve and after a pair of summer attacks in Bavaria committed by asylum-seekers and claimed by the Islamic State group.

 

Only the assailants died in those attacks; Germany had, at least perhaps until now, been spared a mass-casualty Islamic extremist attack.

 

Before Germany votes, three state elections are scheduled for the spring — the most important in May in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany's most populous state. AfD will hope for big gains in those votes after a successful 2016.

 

"We must not indulge in illusions," party co-chairwoman Frauke Petry said. "The environment in which such acts could thrive has been negligently and systematically imported over the past year and a half. This is not an isolated case and will not remain one."

 

Marcus Pretzell, the AfD chief in North Rhine-Westphalia, wrote on Twitter Monday night that "these are Merkel's dead!" Markus Frohnmaier, who leads the party's youth wing, tweeted: "Merkel is a terror chancellor. This government has failed."

 

Such talk drew a sharp rebuke from Armin Schuster, a lawmaker with Merkel's Christian Democrats, who accused Pretzell of abetting terrorists. "That's exactly what IS wants," he told the daily Die Welt. "He can offer himself as their propaganda chief."

 

Merkel herself has sought to strike a conservative tone lately, telling her party that she's determined to prevent a repeat of last year's influx of 890,000 migrants and that she backs a partial ban on face-covering veils.

 

While she insists that Germany will continue to take in people who genuinely need protection, her government has toughened asylum rules and declared several countries "safe," meaning people from there can't expect to get refuge.

 

Merkel was also a driving force behind an agreement between the European Union and Turkey to stem the flow of migrants, and has called for a "national effort" to ensure that rejected asylum-seekers leave Germany.

 

In September, she ditched her optimistic mantra that "we will manage" the challenge of hosting and integrating migrants.

 

Still, she hasn't yet closed a year-old rift with the Christian Social Union, the Bavaria-only sister to her Christian Democrats, which wants to cap at 200,000 per year the number of newcomers.

 

The CSU leader, Bavarian governor Horst Seehofer, said Tuesday that "we owe it to the victims, those affected and the whole population to reassess and adjust our entire immigration and security policy."

 

That suggests Merkel could still struggle to maintain conservative unity during next year's campaign.

 

It remains to be seen how far the attack will actually shift Germans' attitudes.

 

"We always knew that there was the possibility of an attack, but now the terror has become a reality and has come a step closer to us," said Monique Tinney, a 42-year-old Lutheran pastor from nearby Potsdam.

 

"My attitude toward the government will not change due to this attack," she added. "However, I was taken aback by how some already tried to take political advantage of the attack as early as last night. That was disgusting."

___

Kirsten Grieshaber contributed to this report.

 

-- © Associated Press 2016-12-21

[sweatalot]

How can she dare to quest for re-election?

[phantomfiddler]

Merkel should be tried and thrown in jail for the damage she has inflicted on Europe !

[Ulysses G.]

Berlin Attack should make Merkel's re-election quest impossible.

[darren84310]

It seems like many Germans are still trying to make up for what they did for the first half of the 20th Century. However, what they're failing to realise is that they're actually making the first half of the 21st Century a nightmare too.

 

It's only a matter of time before the majority realise that these immigrants won't integrate.

[whatproblem]

Send Merkel to Iraq 

[SOUTHERNSTAR]

Merkel is just another symptom of a liberal world gone wrong. I do however believe that the more conservative/centre German majority will take back control of their country in 2017, much the same as what GB and the US have done and what Italy is in the process of doing.

[Retiredandhappyhere]

Berlin attack may make Merkel's re-election quest rougher .

 

We can only hope so!  If there is any justice, her quest will prove to be not just rougher but hopeless.

[Stargeezr]

Good  Luck  Merkel, I think you will need  every bit  of good luck to

get  re elected.  Hey  Alberta, Canada  has  one  Liberal, maybe  you

can  consult  with him  on  how  he  survived  so  far.

Geezer

[Baerboxer]

5 hours ago, sweatalot said:

How can she dare to quest for re-election?

 

Because she is a professional politician. Thick skinned as they come. Never embarrassed by failure and never ever admits any mistakes.

 

And rather sadly, because she knows that under the German process and the way coalitions work with parties that she has a very good chance of holding on to power.

[nontabury]

  Not impossible for her to be re-elected. Remember she has the media on her side.

[abrahamzvi]

5 hours ago, sweatalot said:

How can she dare to quest for re-election?

Although I am not one of Merkel's supporters, if one wants to be honest and realistic, there is no replacement for her in sight, either in her own party, or in the main rival party, nor in the EU. Who should lead Germany, Frauke Petry? Who should lead Europe Madam LePenn???

[Usernames]

3 hours ago, Ulysses G. said:

Berlin Attack should make Merkel's re-election quest impossible.

 

But it won't, because Germany has been utterly emasculated. It's a country that would much rather think itself virtuous and pious, even if it means having its culture overturned and its citizens massacred by terrorists. Germany is the rot at the core of European civilization.  I used to think it was the French.  But even the French seem more capable of learning about the catastrophe of moslem immigration than does Germany. Maybe five or six more terror incidents will begin to open their eyes. But I doubt it. I think Merkel is a shoe-in for re-election.

[abrahamzvi]

1 hour ago, SOUTHERNSTAR said:

Merkel is just another symptom of a liberal world gone wrong. I do however believe that the more conservative/centre German majority will take back control of their country in 2017, much the same as what GB and the US have done and what Italy is in the process of doing.

You are probably right as far as the UK and US are concerned, but as far as Italy goes, it is not the right that seems to be winning, but the chaotic "5 Stars movement", which can't be termed as right wing, their supporters seem to be more left wing chaots. The same refers to Spain, where the centre has luckily stabilized recently.

[Usernames]

6 minutes ago, abrahamzvi said:

You are probably right as far as the UK and US are concerned, but as far as Italy goes, it is not the right that seems to be winning, but the chaotic "5 Stars movement", which can't be termed as right wing, their supporters seem to be more left wing chaots. The same refers to Spain, where the centre has luckily stabilized recently.

 

Hard to take Spain and Italy as anything meaningful or serious.  Didn't somebody refer to the PIGS (Portugal, Italy, Greece, Spain) as economic and cultural basketcases on the constant verge of collapse?

[elliss]

  Merkel imported  terrorism  to  Europe , now  we  are paying the  price,  innocent  civilians  murdered ,  while  they celebrate Christmas festivities .RIP

 

The  sole reason for the Brexit  vote , was  uncontrolled  immigration . After this sad event .  I hope the German people , will voice their discontent .

[Usernames]

13 hours ago, elliss said:

  Merkel imported  terrorism  to  Europe , now  we  are paying the  price , innocent  civilians  murdered ,  while  they celebrate Christmas festivities .RIP

 

  The  sole reason for the Brexit  vote , was  uncontrolled  immigration .  After this sad event .  I hope the German people , will voice their discontent .

 

Vote AfD. Join Pegida.

[Morch]

2 hours ago, Usernames said:

 

Hard to take Spain and Italy as anything meaningful or serious.  Didn't somebody refer to the PIGS (Portugal, Italy, Greece, Spain) as economic and cultural basketcases on the constant verge of collapse?

 

Hard to take your posts as anything meaningful or serious considering the above. This doesn't even have anything to do with Merkel, Muslims in Europe, or left/right politics.

[sweatalot]

2 hours ago, Usernames said:

 

Vote AfD. Join Pegida.

Can't be worse than Merkel

[Usernames]

Just now, sweatalot said:

Can't be worse than Merkel

 

And just might usher in the restoration of European values.

[Schwabe]

12 hours ago, phantomfiddler said:

Merkel should be tried and thrown in jail for the damage she has inflicted on Europe !

Nobody will dare....she should be tried for treason on her own people...she still insits on letting in more of these people..

she insists that she is right..stuborn as a mule..

i hope the Afd will make at least 20%...

[NeverSure]

"Germany has flooded their country with unskilled, violent young men raised to hate Western culture.  Who'd have guessed THAT wouldn't work?" - Bill Mitchell, American radio broadcaster and pundit.

[Grouse]

8 hours ago, sweatalot said:

Can't be worse than Merkel

 

Do you really believe that? 

 

Read the history

[simple1]

13 hours ago, Usernames said:

 

And just might usher in the restoration of European values.

 

LOL - depends on what you define as "restoration of European values". Parts of AfD's manifesto incorporate neo Nazi ideology and in fact also breach components of the German Constitution.

 

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/revealed-the-right-wing-alternative-for-germany-afd-neo-nazi-manifesto-targeting-single-mothers-and-a6939941.html

[Briggsy]

Doesn't matter if she loses the election, the migrants and their high rates of rape, mugging and all manner of illegal and anti-social behaviour will remain forever in Germany as Merkel's legacy. The damage is done.

[Scott]

A troll post has been removed.  

[sweatalot]

9 hours ago, Grouse said:

 

Do you really believe that? 

 

Read the history

I am talking about the present and present choices. There is no Hitler now

[Grouse]

6 hours ago, sweatalot said:

I am talking about the present and present choices. There is no Hitler now

OK, good

 

I would be VERY careful about encouraging German right wing parties though.....?

[sweatalot]

7 minutes ago, Grouse said:

OK, good

 

I would be VERY careful about encouraging German right wing parties though.....?

Might be it is the question of the two devils. Question is:  Which one is more detrimental?

Edited December 22, 2016 by sweatalot

[Morch]

19 hours ago, NeverSure said:

"Germany has flooded their country with unskilled, violent young men raised to hate Western culture.  Who'd have guessed THAT wouldn't work?" - Bill Mitchell, American radio broadcaster and pundit.

 

Bill Mitchell, American radio broadcaster and pundit

 

More like a Trump sycophant and an acolyte of the post fact era. A pundit? How's about that signature of yours then?