German Chancellor Angela Merkel has had a rough year or so. Ever since opening the refugee spigot, she’s seen her approval ratings and the popularity of her party plummet. The opposition to her rule is still relatively weak, so I wouldn’t necessarily expect Ms. Merkel to lose the reigns of power, but I think this is the weakest I’ve ever personally seen her.
Now, even the refugees are turning on Merkel. Talk about being ungrateful! But apparently, they haven’t been welcomed with enough good feelings upon their arrival to Europe…
Today they launched a desperate plea for her to be held accountable for the ongoing migrant chaos, telling Express.co.uk that they “risked their children’s lives” on the back of her supposed warm welcome.
Migrants who believed that they were being welcomed with open arms by Mrs Merkel have actually encountered barbed wire fences, riot police and increasingly hostile publics turning against them.
One disconsolate refugee gave this website his personal message to the German chancellor, pleading: “Why couldn’t you say no from the beginning?…
The German chancellor publicly announced Syrians would be welcomed into her country with open arms last year, offering them the chance to escape war, in what is now seen as the greatest political blunder of her leadership.
Millions heard her call and flocked towards the main EU bloc, but a crisis ensued when other nation states panicked. Internal borders across the Schengen free movement zone were hastily restored – often with barbed wire and troops – leaving thousands of people stranded in ‘no man’s land’.
To be honest, the refugees kind of have a point here. Merkel did tell them to come and promised that they would all be welcome in Germany. After a million or so flooded the country, the promises began to be subtly scaled back. Many of the refugees can no longer even make it to Germany to take her up on her words due to internal controls put in place by the other countries who surround Germany.
One such woman is Mohibar Njar, who travelled with her husband and sons from Syria after handing over $7,000 (£5,000) to people smugglers.
Asked how she felt about the German chancellor, she told Express.co.uk: “You open the door and then you close the door, why do you do this?
“You said come to Germany and Europe and we will help you. Now we are miserable You said come. Now you don’t want us and we are stranded.
“Why couldn’t you say no from the beginning?
“You let us risk our lives and the lives of our children, for nothing.”
She told how she and her young family walked for days through mud and rain, kept warm only by the prospect of reaching Germany where they would be safe.
It’s hard to argue with this woman, no matter what you think of the refugees themselves. I guess maybe Merkel shouldn’t have promised the moon only to deliver a block of cheese instead?
