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

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.

BERLIN — With Germany’s election less than a month away, center-left Chancellor Olaf Scholz has thrown cold water on the prospect of reviving the country’s traditional grand coalition — bluntly declaring that he “can’t trust” conservative leader Friedrich Merz anymore.

The front-runner to be Germany's next chancellor, Friedrich Merz, has faced criticism for accepting support from the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. View on euronews

Friedrich Merz, Germany's opposition leader, views a second Trump presidency as a chance for EU unity. As he seeks to become Germany's chancellor, Merz emphasizes Europe's need for collective strength and sees potential in Trump's predictable policies for EU-U.

Social Democrat Scholz warns that Merz's proposal for permanent border controls would violate EU law, damage the economy, and threaten stability - Anadolu Ajansı

Context: Brussels is “reviewing” its probes into tech groups including Apple, Meta and Google, launched under its landmark digital markets rules. Trump said he considered fines imposed by the EU on US tech companies operating there as a “form of taxation”, and has vowed to retaliate.

Despite the pushback, a recent poll published by the German tabloid 'Bild' indicates that the majority of Germans might be in favour of his stringent measures on illegal immigration. In an INSA-conducted survey, an overwhelming two-thirds majority reportedly backed Merz's strict stance on immigration policy.

Friedrich Merz, the conservative frontrunner to replace Chancellor Olaf Scholz after Germany's upcoming elections, is calling on the European Union to present a united front in response to US President-elect Donald Trump.

German opposition leader Friedrich Merz, who is seen as the frontrunner to become the country's next chancellor, said that Donald Trump's second term will provide more clarity for the European Union.

German opposition leader Friedrich Merz proposes stricter measures against illegal migration following a violent attack by an Afghan asylum seeker. His plan includes permanent border controls, halting illegal entries,

Left Party lawmaker Clara Bünger says immigration data shows that there is no national emergency in Germany. She pointed out that the figures show refugees make up just 4% of the population, and said some of those people have been in the country for decades.