In the runup to Germany's general elections, which will be held in September or October next year, Merkel will no doubt be criticized by her opponents on these issues as they draw connections between the arrival of asylum seekers in Germany and a string of recent attacks. (In July, for example, a Pakistani asylum seeker assaulted passengers on a German train with an ax.) The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) has already laid the groundwork for the argument that Merkel has failed to protect German citizens: Immediately after the Berlin incident, AfD leader Frauke Petry announced that Merkel's decision to maintain open borders has damaged German national security. The AfD's popularity has risen since Merkel chose in August 2015 to allow Syrian refugees to apply for asylum in Germany. Before the announcement, AfD's support hovered at around 4 percent; since, it has been polling between 12 and 13 percent.