A group wearing shirts reading "Thanks Viktor", in support of Hungary's tough stance on refugees were standing outside the Bavarian abbey where Chancellor Angela Merkel's allies were meeting .
Outside the Bavarian abbey where Chancellor Angela Merkel's allies were meeting stood a small group wearing T-shirts reading "Thanks Viktor", in support of Hungary's tough stance on refugees.
They were vastly outnumbered by protesters angry that the Christian Social Union (CSU) had invited Hungarian leader Viktor Orban, but they reflected a view shared by many members of the party that rules the wealthy southern state of Bavaria.
On the border with Austria, the CSU's home turf has borne the brunt of the migrant influx for Germany, as the first entry point for thousands after travelling up through the Balkans.
At the CSU's gathering there was a feeling that Orban's robust handling of the crisis was helping Germany by shoring up the EU's external borders and slowing the flows of people, but unease about methods which have included water cannon and tear gas.
"Things haven't been easy for him in recent weeks; he's the only one in Europe who is actually implementing European rules and it's not acceptable to treat him as the evil guy of Europe," said Oliver Joerg, a politician in the Bavarian parliament. "He's basically doing the job in the interests of Germany ... you only have to look at the high numbers of refugees pouring into Munich's central station day after day to see that we're being overburdened."
Orban, who called himself the "captain of border protection" during his visit to Bavaria, has repeatedly said Hungary will defend its borders and stick to the Schengen rules. All EU members are required to protect their external borders for the sake of the passport-free Schengen zone.
Orban suggested separating refugees and refugees before they enter the Schengen zone. "Ultimately we Bavarians should be thankful that the Hungarians are helping to protect the southern borders of Bavaria," said Mechthilde Wittmann, a lawyer and CSU politician.
She said Orban had shown at the event that he was "not simply a dictator who should be demonised" but knew what he was doing and was aware of his legal situation.
CSU leader Horst Seehofer drew widespread criticism for inviting Orban, with senior Social Democrat lawmaker Yasmin Fahimi saying the Bavarian premier had stabbed Merkel in the back.
Thomas Jaeger, a political scientist at Cologne University, said the invitation could be part of a strategy to cover a range of views stretching from the welcoming one - represented by Merkel's decision to open Germany's doors - to closing borders. That could help the conservative bloc made up of the CSU and Merkel's Christian Democrats fend off the threat from the right-wing Alternative for Germany, which has a tough stance on immigration.
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 "Angela Merkel's Bavarian allies thank Viktor Orban for tough stance on refugees")
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