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Merkel's chief of staff becomes new asylum coordinator

Xinhua, October 7, 2015 Adjust font size:

The German cabinet decided on Wednesday that Peter Altmaier, chief of staff of German Chancellor Angela Merkel's office, would manage the current refugee crisis for the German government.

Altmaier is to take over the overall political coordination, according to a German government press release.

However, the overall operational coordination of technical, organizational, legal and financial aspects of the refugee situation still remains the responsibility of the interior ministry, said Germany's deputy government spokesperson, Georg Streiter.

Streiter said the existing steering committee of the German interior ministry would be strengthened.

According to German media, with refugee numbers rising, the German government has come under increasing pressure. Several public opinion polls showed recently that Merkel has lost popularity. Endit