BERLIN: Germany´s ex-chancellor Angela Merkel weighed in on Thursday on a controversy flaring ahead of February elections after her party successor relied on far-right support on the flashpoint issue of immigration.
Conservative CDU leader Friedrich Merz sparked outrage on Wednesday when he pushed through parliament a resolution demanding sweeping curbs to immigration, relying for the first time ever on votes from the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD).
Centre-left Chancellor Olaf Scholz and his allies the Greens denounced the vote as a fundamental breach of a taboo in post-war Germany against any cooperation with extremist parties.
News site Der Spiegel judged that “this day will not only change the election campaign but German politics as a whole”.
Critics warned that Merz´s manoeuvre would help legitimise the AfD and pave the way for more cooperation -- perhaps even in a government one day, mirroring developments elsewhere in Europe.
Merz argued that pragmatism must trump principle, and pointed to public fears after a series of deadly attacks blamed on asylum seekers, including a knife attack last week on a kindergarten group where the suspect is an Afghan man.
Even though Merz also opposes the AfD, he said that “a right decision doesn´t become wrong just because the wrong people agree to it”.
The image shows an AI-generated photo of a girl. —Pixabay/FileSHANGHAI: A man in Shanghai lost nearly $28,000 after...
A playground burns in a residential neighborhood during the Eaton fire in Pasadena, California on January 7, 2025. —...
US President Donald Trump waves upon arrival in West Palm Beach, Florida, US, February 14, 2025. —...
Taiwanese air force Indigenous Defence Fighter aircraft taxi ready for take-off during a scramble as part of a combat...
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos in this undated photo.—AFP/File WASHINGTON: The Washington Post will no longer run views...
Police officers check a vehicle during a police operation against immigration, in Biriatou, southwestern France, near...