Merkel’s bloc accused of ‘anti-immigrant’ sentiments

German opposition parties have accused Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrat bloc of creating an anti-immigrant political climate that has resulted in a growing number of attacks on buildings housing refugees.

“As mainstream political parties start to make racism socially acceptable, violent right-wing gangs feel encouraged,” Bernd Riexinger, chairman of the Left Party told daily Leipziger Volkszeitung on Dec. 13.

Three buildings, which were to host refugees in the southeastern German town of Vorra, were burned down on the night of Dec. 11 in what police suspect was an arson attack by neo-Nazis. The perpetrators painted swastikas on the wall of a nearby building. The Bavarian police tasked a special team on Dec. 13 to identify the perpetrators.

Riexinger criticized Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and its sister party the Christian Social Union (CSU) for adopting an anti-immigrant rhetoric and not clearly distancing themselves from the recently formed anti-immigrant and anti-Islam movements that have seen growing support.

“The Christian Union parties are openly expressing an understanding for the xenophobic demonstrations,” Riexinger said.

Recently formed right-wing and anti-Islam platforms like PEDISA and HOGESA have gathered thousands in protests organized in cities such as Dresden, Hannover and Cologne in the last two months.

Patriotic Europeans against the Islamization of the West, or PEDISA, has started weekly rallies in Dresden in October, with the participation of nearly 500 demonstrators.

In its latest demonstration on Dec. 8, some 10,000 protestors rallied, chanting anti-immigration and anti-Islam slogans.

Several leading politicians from Merkel’s Christian...