German Chancellor Angela Merkel is finding it harder to marshal support for the refugee crisis than she did during the Greek crisis where she was in a position to call the shots.

Merkel is still her usual methodical self, dividing problems into small pieces, avoiding rhetoric and emphasising progress, however modest. Yet, Wolfgang Schäuble, her finance minister, warned that Germany was facing “an avalanche” of refugees.

Difficulties are mounting for Merkel both at home and abroad. Schäuble’s remarks reflected a simmering frustration within her ruling CDU/CSU bloc, where many MPs are demanding changes to her migration policies.

Meanwhile, one of the EU’s proudest achievements – the dismantling of national borders – is now under threat. Sweden has already introduced emergency border controls, Slovenia has rolled out barbed wire on its frontier with Croatia and Austria has announced plans for a fence to stem the flow of migrants.

Not so long ago Merkel reacted to the migrant crisis by saying: “We can manage this.” But now, under pressure from her own ministers, she is trying to shift her policy to keep her party in line.

After years of huge approval ratings for Merkel, this refugee crisis has made her appear vulnerable. She knows well enough that this migration crisis is a serious problem to be dealt very carefully. She also needs to show that her political judgement is still as sharp as ever.