| − | In October 2010 Merkel stated that multicultural society has failed and that immigrants needed to do more to integrate - including learning German.<ref>(October 17, 2010). [https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-11559451 Merkel says German multicultural society has failed]. ''BBC''. Retrieved September 16, 2018.</ref> However due to Chancellor Angela Merkel's [[open borders]] policies five years later, more than 2.5 million refugees and migrants have flooded into Germany from outside Europe, migrants who do not share a common European heritage with their host country. In 2015 alone, Germany was invaded by nearly one million non-Western immigrants,<ref>[http://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2016/10/europe-immigration-muslim-refugees-portraits/ The New Europeans], Robert Kunzig, ''National Geographic'', October 2016</ref> more than double the size of Germany's standing and reserve military force. Merkel opposed setting an upper limit on the number of refugees Germany would allow in annually.<ref>Delcker, Janosch (October 2, 2017). [http://www.politico.eu/article/angela-merkel-germany-new-refugee-dilemma-bavaria-csu/ Angela Merkel’s new refugee dilemma]. ''Politico''. Retrieved October 3, 2017.</ref> It was reported in August 2017 that since 2015, when the [[European migrant crisis]] was at its height, the German Prosecutor’s Office received over 1,000 criminal complaints accusing Merkel of high treason for her actions regarding refugees and immigration.<ref>Tomlinson, Chris (August 31, 2017). [http://www.breitbart.com/london/2017/08/31/german-prosecutors-1000-criminal-complaints-merkel-high-treason/ Prosecutors Have Rejected 1,000 High Treason Charges Against Merkel For Migrant Crisis Since 2015]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved August 31, 2017.</ref>
| + | Because of Merkel's [[open borders]] policies, more than 2.5 million refugees and migrants have flooded into Germany from outside Europe, migrants who do not share a common European heritage with their host country. In 2015 alone, Germany was invaded by nearly one million non-Western immigrants,<ref>[http://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2016/10/europe-immigration-muslim-refugees-portraits/ The New Europeans], Robert Kunzig, ''National Geographic'', October 2016</ref> more than double the size of Germany's standing and reserve military force. Merkel opposed setting an upper limit on the number of refugees Germany would allow in annually.<ref>Delcker, Janosch (October 2, 2017). [http://www.politico.eu/article/angela-merkel-germany-new-refugee-dilemma-bavaria-csu/ Angela Merkel’s new refugee dilemma]. ''Politico''. Retrieved October 3, 2017.</ref> It was reported in August 2017 that since 2015, when the [[European migrant crisis]] was at its height, the German Prosecutor’s Office received over 1,000 criminal complaints accusing Merkel of high treason for her actions regarding refugees and immigration.<ref>Tomlinson, Chris (August 31, 2017). [http://www.breitbart.com/london/2017/08/31/german-prosecutors-1000-criminal-complaints-merkel-high-treason/ Prosecutors Have Rejected 1,000 High Treason Charges Against Merkel For Migrant Crisis Since 2015]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved August 31, 2017.</ref> This represented a massive visible shift in her policies since 2010, when she actually stated that multicultural society had failed and that immigrants needed to do more to integrate, including learning German.<ref>(October 17, 2010). [https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-11559451 Merkel says German multicultural society has failed]. ''BBC''. Retrieved September 16, 2018.</ref> |
| | When the German Minister of Interior [[Horst Seehofer]] stated that [[Islam]] "does not belong in Germany,"<ref>http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-43422770</ref><ref>Huggler, Justin (March 16, 2018). [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/03/16/german-interior-minister-declares-islam-does-not-belong-country/ German interior minister declares 'Islam does not belong' in the country]. ''The Telegraph''. Retrieved March 17, 2018.</ref> Merkel quickly responded by saying that "Islam belongs to Germany."<ref>Hale, Virginia (March 16, 2018). [http://www.breitbart.com/london/2018/03/16/islam-belongs-germany-merkel-insists/ ‘Islam Belongs to Germany’, Merkel Insists After Minister Highlights Nation’s Christian Heritage]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved March 17, 2018.</ref><ref>[https://www.thelocal.de/20180316/islam-doesnt-belong-to-germany-says-interior-minister-horst-seehofer Merkel contradicts interior minister, saying ‘Islam belongs to Germany’]. ''The Local''. March 16, 2018. Retrieved March 17, 2018.</ref> Merkel's globalist views on immigration and unwillingness to compromise conflicted with the relatively conservative views of Seehofer, something which endangered the coalition she created after the 2017 elections.<ref>Multiple references: | | When the German Minister of Interior [[Horst Seehofer]] stated that [[Islam]] "does not belong in Germany,"<ref>http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-43422770</ref><ref>Huggler, Justin (March 16, 2018). [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/03/16/german-interior-minister-declares-islam-does-not-belong-country/ German interior minister declares 'Islam does not belong' in the country]. ''The Telegraph''. Retrieved March 17, 2018.</ref> Merkel quickly responded by saying that "Islam belongs to Germany."<ref>Hale, Virginia (March 16, 2018). [http://www.breitbart.com/london/2018/03/16/islam-belongs-germany-merkel-insists/ ‘Islam Belongs to Germany’, Merkel Insists After Minister Highlights Nation’s Christian Heritage]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved March 17, 2018.</ref><ref>[https://www.thelocal.de/20180316/islam-doesnt-belong-to-germany-says-interior-minister-horst-seehofer Merkel contradicts interior minister, saying ‘Islam belongs to Germany’]. ''The Local''. March 16, 2018. Retrieved March 17, 2018.</ref> Merkel's globalist views on immigration and unwillingness to compromise conflicted with the relatively conservative views of Seehofer, something which endangered the coalition she created after the 2017 elections.<ref>Multiple references: |