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Syrian refugee couple name newborn daughter after German chancellor — media

The full name of the baby girl will be Angela Merkel Muhammed

BERLIN, August 21. /TASS/. A Syrian refugee couple residing in western Germany have named their newborn daughter after the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, the DPA news agency reported. The full name of the baby girl, born in the town of Munster, North Rhine-Westphalia, will be Angela Merkel Muhammed.

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Ambassador says many Syrians name sons after Putin

The Syrian couple came to Germany in 2015 through the so-called Balkan route. The number of refugees coming to Germany had increased then following the government’s decision to open borders for the citizens of Arab countries. At the peak of the crisis, up to 10,000 people entered the country daily, which led to a temporary decrease in Merkel’s ratings and the growing discontent among the country’s citizens. However, the crisis waned with time.

According to a spokesperson for Munster’s St. Francis Hospital, the Syrian couple have shown their gratitude to the German chancellor by naming their daughter Angela Merkel. She added that Angela was the first and Merkel the middle name of the child.

This is not the first time that refugees choose this way of expressing their gratitude. In 2015, a baby girl born to a couple from Ghana was also named after the German chancellor.

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Here are the key statements, made during the meeting

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