TIME MAGAZINE’S PERSON OF THE YEAR DECLARES MULTICULTURALISM A SHAM:

“Multiculturalism leads to parallel societies and therefore remains a ‘life lie,’ ” or a sham, she said, before adding that Germany may be reaching its limits in terms of accepting more refugees. “The challenge is immense,” she said. “We want and we will reduce the number of refugees noticeably.”

Although those remarks may seem uncharacteristic of Merkel, she probably would insist that she was not contradicting herself. In fact, she was only repeating a sentiment she first voiced several years ago when she said multiculturalism in Germany had “utterly failed.”

But that didn’t stop her from doubling down; Europe is in the process of getting it good and hard as a result.