Angela Merkel's waning popularity

The enthusiasm that swept Germany after its Chancellor decided to open the country's gates to hundreds of thousands of refugees from Syria, Iraq, and other conflict zones has quickly dissipated, giving room to some heavy criticism. The most powerful woman in the world, who just last week was portrayed on the cover of famous magazine Der Spiegel as heir to Mother Teresa, now finds herself isolated in the European Union and with a long-unseen decline in her popularity among the public. Now-a-days Merkel has a big causes for concern: The growing popular protests against her refugee policies. A few weeks ago, when she visited an absorption center in Heidenau, Saxony, a town known for its large concentration of extreme right-wing and neo-Nazi activity, refugees happily surrounded her, hoping for an opportunity to take a photo. But the reception outside the center was a bit colder: Local residents called Merkel a traitor, and shouted for her to “get out!”