German interior minister says dispute with Merkel is history

BERLIN – Germany’s interior minister says his bitter dispute with Chancellor Angela Merkel over migration is history, suggesting that the government is on course to reduce support for the far-right Alternative for Germany party.

After a standoff that threatened the governing coalition, leaders agreed to turn back migrants who’ve already sought asylum in another European nation under yet-to-be-reached bilateral deals.

Interior Minister Horst Seehofer, who sought a tougher approach, told Sunday’s Bild am Sonntag newspaper the agreement sends “a signal to the world that illegal migration is no longer worth it.” He said of his relations with Merkel: “the windscreen is bigger than the rear-view mirror.”

He said the government is on track to tackle the causes of Alternative for Germany’s rise. Recent polls show its support level or rising.