Angela Merkel Bigger Threat To European Democracy Than Islamic State, Says U.S. Professor

“Low level politicians” like Angela Merkel and her “very dangerous” migrant policy are more of a threat to European democracy than Islamic State, an American professor has claimed.

Stanford University professor Francis Fukuyama also said that the working class revolt against globalism lead to the Brexit vote, and will lead to a Donald Trump presidential win the U.S., Die Welt reports.

Speaking to the German newspaper, Dr. Fukuyama said that while the jihadist ideology poses a serious threat, “the greatest threat to the survival of our democracy…lies in ourselves”. When asked to elaborate, he stated that the people have “lost confidence in our own institutions” giving rise to a surge in populism which is a result of what he called a “disturbing lack of leadership in Europe”.

He singled out German Chancellor Angela Merkel, saying that: “Germany was supposed to be the country that leads Europe to peace and prosperity. Instead, Chancellor Angela Merkel only cares about the approval of her country”. He then pointed to her behaviour during the euro crisis and her clashes with Greece being “typical”, noting that she is “doing the same with Italian banks”.

He condemned other European leaders for their “lack of leadership” including France’s President François Hollande and former British Prime Minister David Cameron who the professor called “disastrous”.

“These are all low level politicians who really hardly achieved anything for Europe.”

On Ms. Merkel’s migrant policy, he said that “the welcoming policy is admirable”, but warned that it is also “very dangerous”.

“It could cause devastating turmoil in the European community”, noting that “there are limits” to the ability of newcomers to integrate, and slammed the porous Schengen borders “that have gaps everywhere”.

Die Welt asked the political scientist if the migrant policy adopted by the European Union (EU) affected the UK’s vote in the referendum to leave the EU:

“Basically the referendum on the United Kingdom membership of the European Union was more of a vote against globalisation. The working class had no voice. They found it again in this referendum.”

The professor also postulated that opposition to globalism across the Atlantic will be the reason that “Donald Trump will win the [U.S. Presidential] election”.