As Germans prepare to vote on Feb. 23, an almighty argument over whether mainstream parties should work with the anti-immigration AfD is threatening to upend politics in Europe’s most powerful

Friedrich Merz’s high-stakes gamble to enlist the far right in pressuring the German government to tighten migration laws has upended the campaign three weeks before general elections.

Friedrich Merz, the front-runner to become Germany’s next chancellor, relied on votes from the far-right AfD to push an anti-migration motion through parliament.

Former chancellor’s intervention exposes deep rift within country’s conservatives over how to handle the far right’s rising influence.

Merz, now 69, represents a sharp rightward turn from Merkel’s centrist legacy. His campaign motto is “A Germany we can be proud of again,” but the slogan, argues Hartwig Pautz, a political scientist at the University of the West of Scotland, is set to collide with some very harsh realities.

Angela Merkel criticized her successor, Friedrich Merz, for collaborating with the far-right in passing an immigration bill. This decision led to significant backlash, including protest actions and criticism from Holocaust survivor Albrecht Weinberg.

Germany's ex-chancellor Angela Merkel weighed in Thursday on a controversy flaring ahead of February elections, slamming her party successor for relying on far-right support on the flashpoint issue of immigration.

Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel criticised Friedrich Merz, her successor as leader of the country's conservatives, on Thursday for pushing through a bill on tighter immigration control with the help of the far right.

In rare public statement, Merkel criticizes her party's decision to pass anti-immigration proposal with critical support of far-right party - Anadolu Ajansı

The sweat was dripping off Friedrich Merz after the frontrunner to become Germany’s next chancellor saw his bid to outflank an ascendant far right spectacularly backfire in the Bundestag.

Ever since the end of World War II, Germany's mainstream political parties have vowed to not work with extremist right-wing parties. After a dramatic week of campaign politics and anti-immigrant rhetoric,