MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The CDU conference was held in Schkeuditz, a town in Saxony, on Wednesday, with some participants holding posters saying "stop refugee chaos" and "dethrone Merkel."
The Brief: Germany backsliding on refugees?; transgender rights up for vote in Poland; more http://t.co/T9sl35C7hY pic.twitter.com/DtljHah3uV
— Human Rights Watch (@hrw) October 8, 2015
One of the nearly 1,000 people attending the CDU event told N24 that the influx of refugees from Africa and the Middle East could cause a "national disaster" in Germany. According to the participant, a lot of Germans, including members of her CDU party, do not believe that Germany is capable of withstanding the massive inflow of migrants.
Germany is the main destination for the majority of asylum seekers who are fleeing conflicts in Syria and other conflict-torn regions of the Middle East and North Africa.
Pres #Gauck: @POTUS praised Germany's willingness in taking in refugees and called Germany a role model. #gauckinusa pic.twitter.com/X2E42APlF3
— German Embassy (@GermanyinUSA) October 7, 2015
According to Germany’s Interior Ministry, the country's Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) received over 43,000 asylum applications in September.
Overall, Germany has granted asylum to some 600,000 people since the start of the year, with an estimated 10,000 refugees crossing into the country every day, according to the German Foreign Ministry.
Looks like #migrants open doors policy in Germany isn't going quite as smooth as #AngelaMerkel thought?? #refugees pic.twitter.com/qXTqpwKKlh
— BusinessToday (@businesstoday) October 5, 2015
Berlin expects an influx of about 1.5 million refugees in 2015, well over a previously announced official forecast of 800,000.
We have been warned Europe, MANY times! "Huge group armed Muslim "refugees" riot in Celle, shouting Allahu Akbar!" https://t.co/1Hj5Akx7jz
— Koen (@1992Nijmegen) October 14, 2015
According to a Wednesday YouGov poll, more than half of the German population believe the country is taking in too many refugees, while only every third German believes that Germany will be able to cope with receiving and distributing new migrants.
Most Germans, some 64 percent, skeptically view Merkel's "We can do this" (Wir schaffen das!) call, concerning the reception and distribution of refugees in the country.