On Wednesday, Merz pushed through a non-binding motion in favour of an immigration crackdown with support from the AfD, breaking with Germany’s tradition of consensus-driven, centrist politics. Many fear it will only further embolden the far right.

The CDU party chief, who leads in the polls to become the next chancellor, said he would collect votes from all parties to push his five-point migration plan through parliament despite Chancellor Olaf Scholz's strong opposition.

BERLIN — With Germany’s election less than a month away, center-left Chancellor Olaf Scholz has thrown cold water on the prospect of reviving the country’s traditional grand coalition — bluntly declaring that he “can’t trust” conservative leader Friedrich Merz anymore.

The front-runner to be Germany's next chancellor, Friedrich Merz, has faced criticism for accepting support from the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. View on euronews

The conservative leader wants to impose strict border controls after knife killings in Aschaffenburg this week.

Social Democrat Scholz warns that Merz's proposal for permanent border controls would violate EU law, damage the economy, and threaten stability - Anadolu Ajansı

German opposition leader Friedrich Merz has floated proposing legislation to tighten Germany's border controls, and claimed it would be on the SPD and Greens if he had to pass it with votes from the far-right AfD.

Context: Brussels is “reviewing” its probes into tech groups including Apple, Meta and Google, launched under its landmark digital markets rules. Trump said he considered fines imposed by the EU on US tech companies operating there as a “form of taxation”, and has vowed to retaliate.

Germany's conservative opposition leader Friedrich Merz, frontrunner in polls to become ... he would seek strong ties with Germany's traditional core EU partner France but also with Poland and ...

Conservative frontrunner to be country’s next chancellor aims to submit tough migration proposals to MPs next week

The EPP’s messaging is clear that the CDU will return in the driver’s seat, if Merz becomes Germany's chancellor.

The conservative CDU/CSU party is hardening its stance on irregular immigration. Others in Europe have already paved the way.