Despite his collaboration with far-right AfD party, Merz fails to gain majority in parliament for his anti-immigration legislation just weeks before parliamentary election - Anadolu Ajansı

Friedrich Merz, hitherto favourite to become Germany's next chancellor, suffered a blow three weeks before a national election on Friday when 12 of his own legislators refused to support him in backing a migration bill that thereby failed to pass in parliament.

If the law had passed, it would have been the first in the country's modern history to do so thanks to the support of the far-right Germany's parliament rejected on Friday an opposition draft law on tightening immigration policy,

The centre-right CDU party leader sparked fierce backlash on Wednesday for accepting the far right's support in pushing a first bill through parliament. #EuropeNews

Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel has issued rare public criticism of her successor as the country’s center-right leader, the front-runner in Germany’s election next month, for putting to parliament proposals for tough new migration rules that only passed with the help of a far-right party.

The Bundestag has rejected the CDU/CSU bill on limiting immigration. As noted by the media, this is a painful defeat for Friedrich Merz, who aimed to gain the support of the conservative electorate before the elections with this bill.

Conservative frontrunner, Friedrich Merz, had declared his willingness to pass a migration law with AfD support, weakening Germany’s far-right “firewall.”

Germany’s likely next chancellor wants tougher migration measures even with AfD support, triggering a fierce pre-election debate.

German opposition leader Friedrich Merz has floated proposing legislation to tighten Germany's border controls, and claimed it would be on the SPD and Greens if he had to pass it with votes from the far-right AfD.

The Bundestag rejected the CDU/CSU bill on limiting immigration. The media noted that this was a painful defeat for Friedrich Merz, who aimed to gain the support of the conservative electorate before the elections with this bill.

The CDU party chief, who leads in the polls to become the next chancellor, said he would collect votes from all parties to push his five-point migration plan through parliament despite Chancellor Olaf Scholz's strong opposition.