Angela Merkel RE-ELECTED leader of Germany’s Christian Democratic Union despite immigration backlash
The vote came after Merkel completed an astonishing U-turn by formally endorsing a full burka ban
ANGELA Merkel has been re-elected as the leader of Germany's main conservative party despite a backlash over her open-door migration policies.
She ran unopposed for the leadership of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and won 89.5 per cent of delegates' votes today.
The vote came after Merkel completed an astonishing U-turn by formally endorsing a full burka ban.
She made the shock announcement at a CDU conference, insisting it was legitimate to expect integration from newcomers.
“The full veil must be banned wherever it is legally possible,” she said to a large round of applause.
Merkel also stressed her determination to ensure that there will be no repeat of last year’s huge migrant influx.
“A situation like the one in the late summer of 2015 cannot, should not and must not be repeated,” Merkel told party delegates. “That was and is our, and my, declared political aim,” she said.
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She will use her leadership of the CDU as the springboard to run for a fourth term as chancellor in next year's German election.
Despite winning the vote at a congress in the western city of Essen, her majority dropped from the 96.7 per cent she won two years ago.
Her decision to open Germany's doors to some one million migrants is understood to have dented her support in the party.
Merkel's government has since moved to toughen asylum rules and declare several countries “safe” meaning people from there can’t expect to get refuge in Germany.
She was also a driving force behind an agreement between the European Union and Turkey earlier this year to stem the flow of migrants.
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