Germany's chancellor, Angela Merkel, has proposed tougher laws that would make it easier to deport migrants after a wave of sex attacks in Cologne that were allegedly carried out by asylum seekers -- an incident she is reported to have described as 'a bombshell'.

Merkel is said to have made the remark while speaking to members of her Christian Democrat party at its closed-door annual policy meeting in the western city of Mainz on Saturday, sources told Der Spiegel.   The gathering -- which was reportedly 'very heated' -- focused on introducing tougher criminal penalties following the Cologne attacks.

The far-right in Cologne held a protest march against Germany's open door migration policy.

Read HERE