Merkel Says She Will Deport 100,000 Migrants
By Rick Moran
In one of the most shocking flip-flops in recent political history, German Chancellor Angela Merkel now says she will deport about 10% of recently arrived migrants — 100,000 of them
The beleaguered Chancellor said authorities would significantly step up the rate of forced returns as she battles to arrest an alarming slump in her popularity which has fueled a surge in support for the far-right.
Merkel, whose decision to roll out the red carpet to migrants from across Africa and the Middle East spectacularly backfired, has taken an increasingly tough tone on immigration in recent months.
The stance marks an astonishing U-turn from the once pro-refugee Chancellor, who has been widely pilloried by critics at home and abroad for her decision to throw open Germany’s borders to millions of migrants. …
- Role: Chancellor of Germany
- Nickname: “The Iron Chancellor”, “Mutti” (mum)
- Born: Hamburg, 17 July 1954
- Education: Read Physics at the University of Leipzig, Doctorate in Quantum Chemistry
- Early career: Research scientist, before entering politics after the German reunification
- Party politics: The Christian Democratic Union, Germany’s centre-right party
- Time in office: Leader since 2005 and expected to run again in 2017
- Did you know? Merkel’s characteristic “Merkel-Raute (picture below)” is one of the world’s most recognizable hand gestures. It is denoted by the emoticon <>
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