Chancellor Angela Merkel says she wants to reduce the number of refugees coming to Germany but is refusing to declare a limit.

Merkel signalled her compromise on immigration to critics of her open-door policy on the eve of a two-day party congress in the southern city of Karlsruhe.. The chancellor, who is under increasing pressure from allies within her Christian Democratic Union, says she is looking for a European solution.

“It is about reducing the number of migrants through European solidarity and by fighting the reasons behind the people fleeing and not through Germany’s one-sided measures. Of course we have to take our own measures but they must always be in line with European actions,” said Merkel.

Her strategy includes working with Turkey to fight traffickers, improving the situation at Syrian refugee camps in Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan, and strengthening control of the European Union’s outer borders.

Merkel, whose popularity has fallen over her handling of the refugee crisis, said the word “limit” did not feature in the CDU’s main resolution which will be debated at the party congress which begins today (Dec 14)

The number of refugees entering Germany is expected to top 1 million this year. Merkel’s decision to allow Syrian asylum seekers to remain in Germany regardless of which EU country they first entered has caused concern among voters. Her conservative critics want the numbers down before three state elections in March.