The right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) has openly branded Ms Merkel as being responsible, amid calls for a ‘Dexit’ – Deutschland exit. Pictured, Ms Merkel arrives at the EU Summit in Brussels on Tuesday

‘I think Ms Merkel with her open borders caused Britain to leave the EU,’ said AfD’s vice chairman Alexander Gauland on Friday in Berlin.

He added: ‘I think the British have opted for direct democracy. I believe that it is good that they have done that.’

It came as party chairman Bjorn Hocke warned that the Eurosceptic AfD would be launching a campaign for a German exit.

‘With the exit from the EU, the British have left the path of collective madness and opted for democracy and popular sovereignty.

‘I know the majority of German people want to get out of EU slavery.’

Meanwhile Franz Wiese, European policy spokesman for the populist party and an MP in the regional parliament in Brandenburg, near Berlin, said: ‘Next year the AfD will enter the German parliament and Dexit will be top on our agenda.’

The AfD is reportedly the only German political party so far to openly declare that it will be demanding a ‘Dexit’ vote.

German media has been awash with criticism of Ms Merkel’s immigration policy, after she allegedly sparked Europe’s 2015 migration crisis by announcing that refugees fleeing from war-torn Syria would be welcome in Germany.

By opening Germany’s borders to refugees, critics have long blamed Ms Merkel for encouraging the flow of both refugees and economic migrants into European countries.

The German chancellor was also among EU leaders who ‘blocked British demands before the referendum for an “emergency brake” on migrant numbers’.

At his final dinner with leaders of EU countries in Brussels on Tuesday night, Prime Minister David Cameron highlighted public fears over immigration as having cost him both the referendum and his job.

Mr Cameron, who resigned following the referendum result last week, warned fellow leaders that intransigence over freedom of movement could damage any chance of a UK-EU trade deal.

“I think people recognised the strength of the economic case for staying, but there was a very great concern about the movement of people and immigration. PM David Cameron “

He said that, while he thought British people had recognised the ‘strength of the economic case for staying’, he believed it was primarily concern about immigration that forced the final victory for the Leave campaign.

He added: ‘I think that is coupled with a concern about the issues of sovereignty and the absence of control there has been.’

This fear was heightened by the Leave campaign’s use of poster images showing crowds of refugees and migrants entering the Bavarian countries.

Nigel Farage and the Leave campaign was branded ‘fundamentally racist’ following the release of the poster, which showed the Ukip leader standing in front of a crowd of refugees and migrants.

The poster uses a picture of Syrian refugees being escorted along the Slovenian border during the migrant crisis last October and tells voters the EU is at ‘breaking point’, adding: ‘The EU has failed us all. We must break free of the EU and take control of our borders.’

Ukip leader Nigel Farage unveiled this controversial campaign poster in Westminster on June 16 but was immediately condemned by MPs from all main Westminster parties and branded ‘fundamentally racist’

The poster (pictured being driven around Westminster) was one of the largest advertising campaigns of the referendum as it was rolled out across the country, encouraging public fear of mass migration

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the poster was ‘disgusting’ while Tory Treasury minister Harriet Baldwin hit out at the Ukip leader for ‘vile xenophobia’.

MPs from all main Westminster parties hit out at the advert minutes after it was unveiled by Mr Farage in Westminster on June 16.

The Brexit vote has pushed freedom of movement to the top of the agenda across Europe.

But Ms Merkel insisted she would condemn any attempts by the UK to ‘cherry-pick’ its favoured elements of the EU package.

‘If you wish to have free access to the single market then you have to accept the fundamental European rights as well as obligations that come from it,’ she said.

‘This is as true for Great Britain as for anybody else.’

She also made it clear that she and other EU leaders have refused to engage in negotiations until Article 50 is invoked.

Ms Merkel and French President Francois Hollande are said to be concerned that Brexit will lead to a growing support for populist far-right parties in their plans for the disintegration of the EU.