German Chancellor Angela Merkel speaks during the opening ceremony of the CeBit computer fair, which will open its doors to the public on March 20, at the fairground in Hanover, Germany, March 19, 2017. REUTERS/Fabian Bimmer
BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany needs to change its laws so that asylum seekers guilty of benefit fraud are removed from the asylum process, an ally of German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Thursday, striking a tough tone six months before a federal election.
More than a million migrants have arrived in Germany over the last two years and unease with the mainly Muslim newcomers has pushed up support for the anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD). It is expected to enter parliament as the third-biggest party after the Sept. 24 election.
