Merkel believes refugee issue needs European solution: spokesman

BERLIN (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel remains convinced that a European solution is needed for the refugee issue that is dividing her conservatives, a government spokesman said on Friday. Merkel is scrambling to hold together her conservative alliance while she pushes other European Union member states to show more solidarity on the issue of distributing refugees. The disagreement between Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU) and their Bavarian Christian Social Union (CSU) sister party threatens the future of her coalition three months after it took office, just as European divisions over migrants also come to a head. (Reporting by Hans-Edzard Busemann; Writing by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Michelle Martin)