As Germany's Refugee Crisis Escalates, German Chancellor Merkel's Popularity Declines

German Chancellor Angela Merkel attends a session of Germany's parliament, the Bundestag, in Berlin October 1, 2015. REUTERS/AXEL SCHMIDT

Reuters: Merkel's popularity slides to four-year low amid refugee crisis

Chancellor Angela Merkel has seen her popularity slump to its lowest level in nearly four years, reflecting growing concern over the influx of hundreds of thousands of refugees into Germany, a poll showed on Thursday.

The Deutschlandtrend poll for public broadcaster ARD showed a nine-point plunge in Merkel's popularity to 54 percent. While some of her European peers might envy that figure, it was her worst rating since December 2011, when the euro zone financial crisis was raging.

The same survey showed that 51 percent of respondents -- up 13 percentage points in the past month -- now say they are scared by the number of asylum seekers arriving in Germany.

WNU Editor: I am not surprised by this drop. And as Germans continue to read news reports like this .... Tempers flare in Germany's crowded refugee centres (AFP) and this Sixty hurt in mass brawl over food at German refugee camp – as clashes with masked extremists rock towns over Berlin's open-door migrant policy (Daily Mail), coupled with reports like this .... Germany took in more than 200,000 migrants last month (Reuters) .... and expectations of this .... UNHCR plans for 1.4 million Mediterranean refugees in 2015-6 (Reuters) .... her days as German Chancellor are numbered.