BERLIN (Reuters) – Chancellor Angela Merkel put up a spirited defense of her leadership on Friday, vowing to “fight for my vision” of how to deal with the refugee crisis that has stretched Germany’s resources and damaged her standing.
Infighting in Merkel’s ruling coalition and a unilateral decision by her interior minister on asylum policy have raised questions about the chancellor’s leadership, though coalition sources have dismissed speculation of a “putsch” against her.
A poll for television station ZDF on Friday showed a narrow majority of Germans believed Merkel was doing a bad job of handling the refugee crisis.