The opposition leader of BERLIN, Germany’s opposition leader, announced Friday that his party would introduce motions to toughen immigration laws to parliament the week before the election, a dangerous move if they were to go to a vote and be supported by a far-right party.
Friedrich Merz, whose centre-right Union union leads elections ahead of Germany’s Feb. 23 vote, vowed Thursday to table people from entering the land without right papers and to move up deportations if he is elected president. Those comments came after a weapon strike in Aschaffenburg by a rejected asylum-seeker, which left a man and a 2-year-old child dying, spilled over into the election campaign.
He stated on Friday that the Union would submit motions to parliament the following week that “remain only in line with our convictions” and that they would be introduced without regard to who would approve them.
That could expose Merz to charges that he has broken long-standing commitments to no cooperate with the far-right and anti-immigration Alternative for Germany, or AfD. The group is receiving strong polls, and it has huge demanded that the Union abandon the “firewall” it and other major parties have vowed to keep in place.
Merz said his party’s position on AfD is unwavering, and that it won’t deal with it on any gestures. It won’t go into state or work with it, either. His party continued to seek support from other major functions.
Merz didn’t explain exactly what would be in the ideas. Movements are nonbinding and may compel the federal or parliament to act.
Additionally, it’s unclear whether voting will take place before the vote. Before legislators can vote on them, a procedure that usually stretches over months and can only be shortened with a vote by a two-thirds lot, is normally required for motions and bills.
A possible “political pond breach” was warned by the general director of Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s center-left Social Democrats.
There had been a discussion among the main parties regarding no laws to get approved with AfD votes, according to Matthias Miersch, who told the German news agency DPA. “apparently Friedrich Merz is now terminating this compromise and breaking through the firewall and sending a tragic signal.
The viability of Merz’s migration needs have been questioned by centre-left parties that he may have to form a coalition government.
