Merkel sticks to migrant course after German state elections

BERLIN (AP):

Chancellor Angela Merkel said yesterday she would stick to her course in Europe's migrant crisis following state elections that sent conflicting signals about Germans' opinion of her liberal approach and highlighted divisions in her conservative bloc.

Merkel acknowledged that Sunday's three elections, which produced painful losses for her conservative Christian Democratic Union, were dominated by the migrant issue and many voters believed there is "no conclusive and satisfactory solution."

However, "I am firmly convinced, and that wasn't questioned today, that we need a European solution and that this solution needs time," Merkel said after party leaders met in Berlin.

The nationalist, anti-migration Alternative for Germany, or AfD, powered into three state legislatures after campaigning against Merkel's welcome for last year's huge influx of migrants.

That made clear a sizeable minority is uneasy about Merkel's policies. AfD attracted people who didn't previously vote, and took votes from established parties.

But many viewed the overall outcome as a sign of support for her approach.