BERLIN: German business leaders give the government poor grades on its refugee policy. Party infighting, more than anything, was not looked upon kindly at a German industry gathering.
When the chancellor looks down while she is listening to what is being said, and especially when she crosses her arms, it means she doesn’t like what she’s hearing. How could she? For what Chancellor Angela Merkel was accused of, in front of an audience of 1,200 invited managers, could not have been stated more bluntly.
In his opening speech, Federation of German Industries (BDI) President, Ulrich Grillo, said that he expected more resolve in the refugee crisis. “It cannot be that scuffles arise over terms such as transit zones, or immigration centers.” Politicians have to stop being so self-absorbed. There is, he said, no time for fights among the ruling Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Christian Social Union (CSU) and Social Democratic Party (SPD). “We need effective crisis management.”
