World Immigration News

Frontrunner for German Chancellor vows stricter immigration policies – but says he won’t work with the far-right

Release Date: 2025-02-03
Media: CNN
Summary: As Germany enters the final weeks of its election campaign, Friedrich Merz, the likely next chancellor, is focusing on tightening immigration policy, signaling a shift to the right. He stated that, if elected, he would "control [Germany’s] borders and return those who come without documents." Merz leads the polls with his Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and its Bavarian sister party CSU, holding 30% of the vote.

Merz has made migration a central issue of his campaign, proposing two major pieces of legislation to curb immigration. While a non-binding bill passed, the binding "Influx Limitation Act" failed. Recent attacks by migrants have intensified the focus on this issue, with high-profile incidents like a deadly attack in Aschaffenburg by an Afghan migrant.

Merz blamed the ruling Social Democratic Party (SPD) for the failure of the bill, despite the CDU's own internal disagreements. While the CDU has a policy of not cooperating with the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), Merz was willing to accept AfD support for his proposals, a move that sparked protests.

On international matters, Merz rejected criticism of Elon Musk's involvement in the election, saying Musk is free to act as he wishes. He also stressed that any potential US tariffs on the EU should be handled collectively at the European level. Merz remains a staunch supporter of Ukraine and NATO, emphasizing the importance of defense spending.
Tags: GERMANY

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