German Chancellor Angela Merkel made an early return from her summer holiday in Northern Germany to face down critics of her open-door refugee policy. An incredibly bloody week across Europe, including four attacks in Germany of which three were carried out by asylum seekers, has caused a resurgence of criticism for Merkel’s openness to accept immigrants.
In a press conference Thursday, Merkel rejected the call to reverse her current stance on migration in favor of a more selective process.
“The terrorists want to make us lose sight of what is important to us, break down our cohesion and sense of community as well as inhibiting our way of life, our openness and our willingness to take in people who are in need,” she explained.
Merkel then added that German people would “stick to our principles” and “give shelter to those who deserve it.”
In response to the attacks in Ansbach, Wurzburg, and Munich, which she called “terrifying and depressing,” she stated that her government would work on an “early warning system” that would help spot radicalized Muslims in the country. She also spoke of speeding up the process of sending home migrants who had failed to obtain asylum. One of the terrorists had been able to live in Germany after his request had been rejected.
She also promised the government would “redouble its effort” and increase the number of staff and resources available to security services.
“I am still convinced today that ‘we can do it’- it is our historic duty and this is a historic challenge in times of globalization,” Merkel allegedly added. “We have already achieved very, very much in the last 11 months.”
However, Merkel did hint that Germany would, in the future, begin to take a harsher approach to immigration. When asked if she would try to reduce the flow of migrants into the country, Merkel's responded, “Yes of course this is one of my objectives, immigration from last year was marked by illegal immigration, human trafficking, and this is not something that we can accept.”
“[...] A country like Germany, as strong as Germany, cannot continue to take in such a flow of migrants and we have to limit the numbers.”
But, until that unknown point in time, Germany will maintain its lax policy towards accepting refugees. Over 1.1 million migrants have entered into Germany, mostly from the Middle East and Northern Africa.
Criticism from both sides of the political spectrum have been levied against Merkel for her lax immigration policy which has allowed in both migrants and radicalized extremists to enter the country with relative ease. The first public outcry came earlier this year after over 1,000 women were the target of sexual assault by migrant men during New Year festivities in Cologne.