Germany will reduce its migrant influx, Chancellor Angela Merkel promised her conservative party on Monday, insisting that she's still confident her diplomatic efforts will work and Europe will pass the "historic test" posed by the refugee crisis.

Germany has seen about 1 million asylum-seekers arrive this year. Merkel has declared that "we will manage it", but some in her conservative bloc have urged a tougher approach.

"We want to, and will, appreciably reduce the number of refugees, because it's in everyone's interest," Merkel said in a confident speech to her Christian Democratic Union that was greeted with a standing ovation.