The German state of Bavaria has passed a controversial new integration law requiring all immigrants to respect the 'dominant' local culture.

The state's governing Christian Social Union (CSU) said the new legislation was being introduced to cope with an influx of hundreds of thousands of asylum-seekers under German Chancellor Angela Merkel's 'open-door' refugee policy.

Germany took in more than 1 million migrants last year, after Angela Merkel announced it would accept all Syrians escaping from the war-torn country.

The policy is based on an integration law passed by the German government in early August, but each of the country's 15 states can choose whether to implement it or not.

Germany took in more than 1 million migrants last year, after Angela Merkel announced it would accept all Syrians escaping from the war-torn country

It has attracted criticism from left-wing politicians, and it is not expected other states will all adopt the policy, as Bavaria is more right-wing than most.

Following the influx of migrants, Bavaria was the first state to dictate where asylum seekers will live, in an attempt to stop them gathering in segregated communities within Germany.

'We are guaranteeing that migrants in Bavaria live with us, not alongside us,' said minister for social affairs Emilia Müller.

The state's governing Christian Social Union (CSU) said the new legislation was being introduced to cope with an influx of hundreds of thousands of asylum-seekers

The law also provides extra funding for schools and German language classes, and much of the legislation was uncontested.

However, critics of the law have questioned whether it gives the same importance to aspects of German culture like Lederhosen

However, opposition MPs attempted to filibuster the bill to stop it passaging through parliament over a clause which requires immigrants to respect Bavaria's dominant culture.

The bill calls on immigrants to respect Bavaria's Leitkultur, a German word meaning dominant or leading culture.

However, critics of the law have questioned whether it gives the same importance to aspects of German culture like Lederhosen and beer festivals, as to the equality of men and women.

'We do not need a guiding culture in this integration law because all this is already covered much better in the Bavarian constitution,' Markus Rinderspacher, leader of the opposition Social Democratic Party (SPD)said in parliament.

Defending the new law, Ms Müller told MPs: 'It prevents the emergence of parallel societies governed by Sharia, religious codes or tribal customs, instead of our laws and values.'