However, Kai Arzheimer, professor of German politics and political sociology at the University of Mainz, has quite a positive stance to the issue, arguing that Merkel still has good chances to be reelected in 2017.
"I am pretty sure that she will run for another turn. If she was going to step down, she would have done so by now," Arzheimer said. "I think she has excellent chances to be re-elected," the expert added.
According to Arzheimer, the fact that the anti-immigrant party Alternative for Germany — or AfD party — has managed to capture seats in the lower house of parliament in all three largest states is a "warning sign" for the ruling coalition. However, it does not mean the failure of Merkel's CDU party in the next elections.
The expert argued that the current situation certainly increases the pressure on her party and forces the governmental coalition to come to some sort of a solution for the refugee crisis as soon as possible.
Many Germans have become unhappy about the current situation with refugees and increasingly oppose Merkel's policy of open doors, as a result of which more than 1.1 million of migrants entered Germany in 2015 alone.
Nevertheless, Arzheimer stressed that "the approval of Merkel is still quite high."
"Most Germans are still quite happy with her approach to politics, even with her management of the refugee crisis," the expert said. "She is perceived as a very cautious and competent manager at the end of the day" and the average voter is still attracted to her and her policy, he stated.
