At odds over migrants, German conservatives agree not to party together

German Chancellor Angela Merkel smiles next Bavarian state premier and leader of the Christian Social Union (CSU) Horst Seehofer (R) during a news conference at the Chancellery in Berlin, Germany, April 14, 2016. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch/File Photo

BERLIN (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative 'Union' is anything but unified, with her Bavarian allies preparing to hold their annual party conference without her as the alliance struggles to repair divisions over her open-door migrant policy.

A year ago, the Bavarians' leader, Horst Seehofer, embarrassed Merkel by criticising her in front of his Christian Social Union (CSU) party faithful for failing to put a cap, or "Obergrenze", on the number of refugees entering Germany.