Popular support for the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, has tumbled to its lowest level for four-and-a-half years, a poll showed on Wednesday, with a large majority of voters sceptical that her government has the refugee crisis under control.
The survey for public broadcaster ARD also showed a drop in support for Merkel’s conservatives, while backing for the anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AFD) party rose to its highest ever point in the poll.
Merkel has come under increasing pressure to reduce the number of migrants after Germany took in 1.1 million people in 2015. Public unease has also grown following a slew of sexual assaults on women in Cologne on New Year’s Eve.
Europe’s refugee story has hardly begun
Paul Mason
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The survey, conducted on 1-2 February, showed just 46% of Germans supported her, the lowest proportion since August 2011. In April 2015, before the migrant crisis, she enjoyed 75% backing.
The poll also found 81% did not believe the government was handling the refugee crisis well.