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Center-left coalition partners the Social Democrats (SPD) have slammed Chancellor Angela Merkel's CDU for infighting over her refugee policy. The conservatives have said the SPD is blocking new legislation.
Coalition partners the Social Democrats (SPD) issued a challenge to German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Sunday to demonstrate stronger leadership. Criticizing the conflict within Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU) over refugee policy, the SPD warned that she was creating an atmosphere of "no confidence" in the government.
"Angela Merkel cannot allow the government's capacity to suffer because of the infighting in the CDU," SPD Secretary General Katarina Barley told the "Welt am Sonntag" newspaper. "Continuous new and impractical suggestions from the CDU and [Bavarian sister party] the CSU create no confidence," she added.