Angela Merkel rating drops over refugee crisis, says poll

German chancellor Angela Merkel’s popularity has dropped abruptly over her handling of Europe’s refugee crisis, a poll for ARD television network has shown.

Merkel, who was criticised for being slow to condemn violent protests against refugees in an east German town last month, saw her approval ratings slip four points from the previous month to 63% in the Infratest Dimap survey.

Though she remains very popular at home, it was a steep one-month drop in a survey that normally moves by just a point or two each month. It was the lowest support rating for Merkel since December 2012.