Germany: AfD speaker calls for end to open-door refugee policy, praises PEGIDA

Frauke Petry, the speaker of the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, stated that a discussion needed to be had in the German parliament with regards to ending the open-door refugee policy during a press conference in Berlin, Friday. "It should be openly discussed that we should stop receiving new refugees. Bavaria has already demanded that," she said. Petry slammed German Chancellor Angela Merkel's approach to the migrant and refugee crisis. "Mrs. Merkel repeats constantly 'We will cope with it' and it shows that she has not offered a structured solution yet," Petry stressed. The AfD speaker went on to praise PEGIDA during the press conference, describing the movement as "phenomenon" and saying that was "very positive for Germany because it shows that citizens do not stay at home and criticise but are ready to express their resentment openly."