Angela Merkel in Wildbad Kreuth

Munich (dpa) - The chancellor has repeatedly butted heads with the Christian Social Union‘s leader, Horst Seehofer, over his proposal to allow a maximum of 200,000 migrants to enter Germany in 2016 - less than a fifth of the number that arrived the previous year.

"There are many varying positions. This probably will not change in today‘s discussion," Merkel said at the annual CSU conference in the southern Bavarian resort of Wildbad Kreuth.

While stressing that she too wants to see a "tangible reduction" in the number of arrivals, the chancellor stopped short of supporting the CSU‘s proposed cap.

Seehofer and other members of his arch-conservative party have insisted the move is necessary to alleviate the burden on the public purse and ensure successful integration.

Authorities and infrastructure in the state of Bavaria, where the CSU is based, have been particularly hard-hit by the mass migration influx, with the vast majority of the 1.1 million refugees recorded in 2015 entering Germany through the state‘s southern border.

David Cameron in Wildbad Kreuth
British Prime Minister David Cameron is also set to attend the conference on Wednesday evening. His Conservatives and the CSU have a common interest in reforming the relationship between the European Union and its member states.

On the prospect of a so-called Brexit, Merkel said she expected decisions to be made in Germany‘s interest that would offer Britain "a sensible package" in order to keep it in the union. She did not give details of exact measures.

Cameron has promised to renegotiate the terms of Britain‘s EU membership before holding an in-out referendum by the end of 2017.