THE on-going migrant crisis in Europe is beginning to have political consequences in Germany, not least for the ‘iron’ Chancellor.
At last week’s regional elections, the far right made significant gains, despite widespread condemnation of its views.
Astonishingly, the leader of that Party - Alternatif fur Deutchland (AfD) – seriously suggested shooting illegal immigrants.
“The use of armed force is there as a last resort,” said Frauke Petry in January.
She was reacting to the concerns of many Germans who are furious with Mrs Merkel for allowed more than one million migrants into the country since last summer.
Having grown up in East Germany, Mrs Merkel deplores borders, but her magnanimity is beginning to wear thin with a significant number of her people.
This mood-change is far removed from the heart-warming welcome scenes at German railway stations last year, which have now given way to crowds applauding the burning of a new, migrant hostel.
The sexual assaults in Cologne, which were at first hushed up by the German authorities, have added to people’s sense that they have been hoodwinked.
It is ironic, perhaps, that Mrs Merkel’s generosity might have sown the seed of her own political destruction.
Commentators in Germany insist that this is just a blip.
But they are missing the point.
If Europe’s leaders refuse to listen, particularly about mass, imposed immigration, voters will take matters into their own hands.
It’s a worrying development, especially in a country where any association with the extreme right wing since the end of World War II has been virtually taboo.
However, this trend is also being felt in countries like France, Sweden, Hungary and Greece in the past few years.
The solution is relatively simple: the politicians must listen to their electorate, or face the consequences.