Merkel faces off with rebellious allies over migration

Chancellor Angela Merkel and her rebellious Bavarian allies searched Monday for a way to resolve a standoff over migration after Germany’s interior minister offered to resign, but a compromise looked elusive in the dispute that has rocked her government.

The crisis that has raised questions over the future of Merkel’s 3 1/2-month-old government pits Interior Minister Horst Seehofer and his Bavariaonly Christian Social Union against Merkel, head of its longtime sister party, the Christian Democratic Union.

Ahead of a difficult Bavarian state election in October, the CSU is determined to show that it is tough on migration. Seehofer wants to turn back at the border asylum-seekers who have already registered in another European Union country but Merkel is adamant that Germany shouldn’t take unilateral actions that affect other EU nations.

Seehofer and Merkel, who have long had a difficult relationship, have sparred over migrant policy on and off since 2015. However, the current dispute has erupted even as Germany is seeing far fewer newcomers than in 2015.

Seehofer reportedly argues that measures to tackle migration agreed at a European Union summit last week aren’t enough. He offered his resignation at a meeting with leaders of his party Sunday night — though he put it on hold ahead of a meeting Monday in Berlin with the CDU leadership.

The leadership of Merkel’s party approved a resolution Sunday stating that “turning people back unilaterally would be the wrong signal to our European partners.’’