As crunch votes loom, Merkel says migrant plans gaining traction

By Madeline Chambers and Paul Carrel BERLIN (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Tuesday things were moving in the right direction after the European Union agreed a draft deal with Turkey to stem the flow of migrants to Europe, a touchstone issue for voters in state elections on Sunday. "Overall, things are going in the right direction," Merkel told SWR radio, while trying to assuage worries that Turkey is blackmailing Europe: "No. We are seeking a balance of interests," she said.