sexta-feira, 31 de janeiro de 2025

Merz’s far-right gamble backfires

 


Merz’s far-right gamble backfires

 

Favorite to be next German chancellor loses bid to use AfD support to push through immigration law, after days of turmoil over weakening of Germany’s “firewall.”

The draft bill, which sought to impose stricter immigration controls, failed in a narrow vote.

 

January 31, 2025 5:47 pm CET

By Chris Lunday

https://www.politico.eu/article/friedrich-merz-germany-gamble-to-accept-far-right-support-fails-in-parliament-afd-cdu-migration/

 

BERLIN — Friedrich Merz, the conservative frontrunner to become Germany’s next chancellor, suffered a major political defeat on Friday as his controversial immigration bill backed by the far right was rejected in the Bundestag, with some members of his own party refusing to support the measure.

 

Merz had earlier declared his willingness to push through the draft law to restrict migration even with support from the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, a move that weakened Germany’s so-called firewall against the far right and sparked a fierce pre-election debate that struck at the heart of the country’s postwar identity.

 

The draft bill, which sought to impose stricter immigration controls, failed in a narrow vote — 338 in favor, 350 against — marking a significant blow to Merz’s leadership and election strategy just weeks before Germany’s federal vote, set for Feb. 23.

 

In a passionate debate in parliament, center-left lawmakers warned that the conservative acceptance of far-right support would badly scar Germany’s democracy.

 

“The original sin will follow you forever,” Rolf Mützenich, parliamentary leader for the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD), warned conservatives. He then urged Merz and his allies to change course and reject the AfD’s help. “The gates of hell, we can still close together,” he said.

 

Twelve conservative lawmakers rejected the bill or abstained, revealing a deep rift within Merz’s alliance and embarrassing the candidate at a critical time in the campaign. Earlier this week, Merz’s conservative predecessor, former chancellor Angela Merkel, condemned his decision to accept far-right support.

 

“I consider it wrong to abandon this commitment and, as a result, to knowingly allow a majority with AfD votes in the Bundestag for the first time,” Merkel said in a statement.

 

In parliament, Merz defended his decision, arguing that the government had lost control of migration policy and that mainstream parties needed to act, no matter who supported the legislation. “People outside don’t want us to argue among ourselves about the AfD,” he said. “They want us to find solutions.”

 

At the same time, Merz used the kind of inflammatory rhetoric often employed by the AfD, referring to a series of violent attacks perpetrated by immigrants, such as the attack on a Christmas market in the eastern German city of Magdeburg, and knife attack in the Bavarian city of Aschaffenburg earlier this month.

 

“Is it seriously your position that, in light of the attacks in Magdeburg and Aschaffenburg, in light of daily gang rapes committed by asylum seekers […] we should do nothing? That we should not take action, even as parents across Germany fear for their children?” Merz said, drawing a direct link between crime and migration.

 

It remains to be seen how Merz’s failure to pass the bill will change the contours of the race, but the conservative attempt to peel back votes from the AfD may well end up suffering as a result. At the same time, centrist voters upset with Merz’s weakening of the firewall may shift to left-leaning parties that have pushed to uphold it.

 

Merz’s conservatives currently lead in polls at 30 percent, while the AfD is at 21 percent, having seen its popularity increase in recent weeks.

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