German election frontrunner risks breaking taboo on working with far-right

29/1/2025 13:20

The man tipped to win Germany's election next month is set to propose plans on Wednesday to restrict migration that could pass with the help of votes from the Alternative for Germany, potentially breaking a taboo on cooperation with the far-right.



Friedrich Merz, the leader of Germany's CDU/CSU conservative bloc which is leading polls ahead of the Feb. 23 vote, is keen to seize the initiative on migration policy, which has shifted sharply back into focus after an Afghan asylum seeker was arrested over deadly stabbings last week.



The opposition leader has said he will present on Wednesday two motions in parliament calling for heightened security measures and the closure of German land borders to irregular migration. Critics say the latter measure is incompatible with European law.



With Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats and the Greens opposed to the motions, however, Merz will have to rely on support of the AfD, among other smaller parties, to pass them - and has explicitly welcomed the support of any party.



Critics including Scholz argue that this shatters the taboo among mainstream parties of working with the AfD, a party which is monitored by German security services on suspicion of being right-wing extremist, in an effort to keep it from power.