The DW’s migration plan is set to be implemented on 01/29/2025

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CDU leader Friedrich Merz refused to shun the help of the far-right AfD to secure the vote.
It has been a long-established convention in German politics that established parties maintained a “firewall” around the far-right AfD by not working with it.
Lindner pointed to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s meeting with Danish counterpart Mitte Frederiksen this week and praised Denmark’s strict policies on migration.
In Germany’s color-coded politics, black stands for the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and blue for the Alternative for Germany (AfD).
This makes it nearly impossible to achieve a majority for these motions, even with the far-right AfD voting in favor.

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Germany: A vote on an anti-migration proposal is decided by the far-right.

23 hours ago was the publication date.

Following a fatal attack by an asylum-seeker who was turned away, the German parliament passed a motion to strengthen immigration regulations. Friedrich Merz, the leader of the CDU, accepted the far-right AfD’s assistance in order to win the vote.

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Go to the next section to learn more.

What you need to know.

One of the conservative CDU/CSU bloc’s proposals is to send asylum seekers back to the border.

CDU leader Friedrich Merz, who is expected to win the February chancellorship, is reportedly getting ready to sever the previous “firewall” against the far-right AfD, according to critics.

The proposals have drawn criticism from both the Greens and Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s SPD, who claim they violate EU and German refugee law.

On Friday, a draft immigration bill that includes only a few of the recommendations will be introduced.

Following the fatal knife attack in Aschaffenburg by a turned-down Afghan asylum seeker, the motions were made.

We appreciate your interest in our blog post from January 29, 2025, which discussed the migration debate in the German parliament.

Skip to the next section as CDU’s Merz demands new discussions with the SPD and Greens.

It was seventeen hours ago.

CDU’s Merz demands new discussions with the SPD and Greens.

Friedrich Merz, the leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), the conservative opposition party, expressed regret that his non-binding motion to limit immigration was approved with the backing of the far-right AfD party. This action broke a significant taboo in German politics.

After the vote, Merz emphasized in a contentious debate that he was not looking for “majorities other than those in the democratic center.”. “.”.

Ahead of a second vote on migration on Friday, the CDU leader offered to hold new discussions on the subject with the ruling Social Democrats (SPD) and Greens.

To secure a majority for the bill we have introduced in the German Bundestag, he urged the two parties to “talk to us by Friday about how we can work with you.”. “.

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For more information, see SPD’s claim that conservatives have “broken out of the political center.”.

The time was eighteen hours ago.

Conservatives have “broken out of the political center,” according to SPD.

A motion restricting migration was passed with the apparent support of the far-right Alternative for Germany party (AfD), which has been denounced by the Social Democratic Party (SPD).

Following his surprise that the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) permitted its motion to pass with the AfD’s backing, Rolf Mützenich, the leader of the SPD’s parliamentary group, asked that an ongoing parliamentary session be paused.

The long-standing practice in German politics is that established parties keep a “firewall” around the far-right AfD by refusing to cooperate with it.

The conservative bloc had “broken out of the political center,” according to Mützenich, making it impossible to “simply go back to business as usual” at this point. “..”.

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AfD celebrates a “new era” after motion passes; skip to the next section.

Eighteen hours ago.

After motion passes, the AfD declares a “new era.”.

After a non-binding motion to limit immigration passed the German parliament, the far-right Alternative for Germany party (AfD) declared victory.

AfD leader Alice Weidel referred to it as “a historic day for Germany” on social media. “.

On the Bundestag floor, the party also held a celebration.

“This is truly a historic moment,” Bernd Baumann, the first parliamentary secretary for the AfD, said following the vote.

“Once and for all,” he said, the vote marked the end of red-green domination in Germany, referring to the center-left Social Democrats and Greens currently serving in power.

“A new era is beginning here and now, and we are leading it!” the AfD lawmaker went on to say.

The conservative Christian Democratic Union and Christian Southern Union bloc (CSD/CSU), which together control 196 seats in parliament, introduced the motion.

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A motion to restrict immigration is narrowly passed by German MPs.

Nineteen hours ago.

A motion to restrict immigration is narrowly approved by German MPs.

In a non-binding motion, German lawmakers call on the government to limit immigration, specifically to deny asylum seekers at the border.

The motion urges the government to obstruct “attempts to enter the country illegally without exception” by enforcing border controls permanently and detaining those who must depart Germany right away.

According to the motion, “they are already safe from persecution,” so those who come to Germany from other European nations seeking protection should be sent back.

With 348 votes in favor, 345 votes against, and 10 abstentions, it was approved.

The Christian Democratic Union’s (CDU) conservative opposition leader Friedrich Merz introduced the motion.

The lawmakers’ support for the motion was not immediately apparent. However, with the backing of the far-right Alternative for Germany party (AfD) or other smaller blocs, the motion is likely to succeed, as the Social Democrats and Greens previously opposed it.

The long-standing German political tradition of mainstream parties not cooperating with the far-right party would be broken if AfD votes were to be relied upon.

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See the following section for the Left Party’s condemnation of proposals as “inhumane” and “unfeasible.”.

That was 19 hours ago.

Proposals are denounced by the Left Party as “inhumane” and “unfeasible.”.

Heidi Reichinnek, the leader of Germany’s Left Party in the Bundestag, declared that her party would vote against the CDU/CSU conservative alliance, led by Friedrich Merz, on proposals to tighten immigration policy.

The plans, she said, were “unfeasible,” “legally highly problematic,” and “inhumane.”.

She claimed that polls had indicated that the far-right Alternative for Germany’s (AfD) policies had “failed” to be adopted by the ruling Social Democrats (SPD), led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz. “.

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The CDU and coalition government are accused of “migration chaos” by AfD’s Weidel.

Twenty hours ago.

The CDU and coalition government are accused of “migration chaos” by AfD’s Weidel.

The Bundestag was filled with discussions about the AfD. What does Alice Weidel, the party leader and gubernatorial candidate, herself say?

The coalition government and the conservative opposition Christian Democratic Union (CDU) were the targets of her flurry of accusations.

She said both had resulted in “migration chaos” that killed people.

The opposition conservatives’ CDU leader Friedrich Merz tightened the asylum policy, but Weidel said it was still insufficient.

She will still support it in spite of this. The opposition’s motion for a resolution, which specifically calls out the AfD for being xenophobic and encouraging conspiracy theories, makes the AfD’s approval seem odd.

Speaking at the Wednesay Bundestag debate, Weidel charged that the conservative CDU/CSU alliance was “currying favor” with Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democrats (SPD) and its junior coalition partner, the environmentalist Greens, while also replicating the AfD’s immigration policies.

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The FDP’s Lindner demands greater “control” over migration; skip to the next section.

Twenty hours have passed.

Lindner of the FDP demands greater “control” over migration.

Christian Lindner, leader of the pro-business Free Democrats (FDP), stated that his party would support the proposed migration policy changes by the conservative CDU/CSU.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz fired Lindner, who had been finance minister, in November, causing the ruling coalition to fall apart and opening the door for a February 23 snap election.

Lindner warned that forming a coalition with the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party would turn Germany from a “liberal” to a “authoritarian democracy if parties did so. “..”.

He stated, “We must not leave this to the fringes; the political center must control and limit immigration to Germany.”.

Lindner highlighted Denmark’s stringent immigration laws and cited German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s meeting with Danish counterpart Mitte Frederiksen this week.

“There is no question that [Denmark] is a liberal nation that welcomes the world,” he stated.

Germany has long made it difficult for those who are needed for the labor market to migrate there while making it easier for those who come “irregularly and illegally,” according to the leader of the FDP. “.

While he was a member of Scholz’s ruling coalition, he charged that the Greens were obstructing more expansive immigration policies.

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The German ‘democratic center’ in question, Greens’ Habeck, is the next section to skip.

It was twenty hours ago.

This German “democratic center” is Greens’ Habeck.

During a Bundestag debate, German Green Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck urged the pro-business Free Democrats (FDP) and the conservative CDU/CSU alliance not to vote with the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD).

In addition, Habeck is Germany’s minister of the economy.

The Bundestag, according to the vice chancellor, was discussing the “fundamental orientation of politics [and] political culture” rather than a technical issue. “..”.

It would be “breaking with tradition” to enact laws with the AfD’s backing, he claimed, challenging what is known as the “democratic center” of German politics. “,”.

Asking lawmakers, “Will the [CDU/CSU] and FDP vote alongside the AfD in such a decisive and important question?” Habeck was referring to the migration debate.

He warned against collaborating with “racists” and implied that the CDU/CSU might eventually rely on the AfD’s votes to pass other proposals. “.

Habeck said this was a “steep path into the abyss” and accused the conservative alliance of wanting to break the law in order to change it. “,”.

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Don’t read the next part about Merz on AfD support.

Twenty-one hours ago.

AfD’s backing for Merz.

The Christian Democrats’ chancellor candidate, Friedrich Merz, blasted Scholz in his speech, calling his attacks “vile and infamous.”.

Merz said his conscience was compelled to act in this manner and that he would accept a majority with the AfD in a vote on an internal security bill on Friday.

Merz stated, “A right decision does not become wrong if the wrong people agree,” in reference to the anticipated voting patterns of the right-wing AfD.

Some Social Democrat and Green MPs shook their heads and heckled in response to this statement.

After the February election, the leader of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group emphasized that he had no plans to form a coalition government or work with the far-right AfD.

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Merz: “We owe it to people to act” on migration is the next section you should skip.

Twenty-one hours have passed.

Merz said, “We owe it to people to act” on migration.

During a debate in Germany’s parliament, Friedrich Merz, the leader of the opposition Christian Democratic Union (CDU), demanded a more stringent immigration policy and faster deportations.

Prior to the February federal elections, the party is a member of the CDU/CSU conservative alliance, which is presently leading the polls.

He said, “We owe it to people to act,” in reference to immigration policy.

According to him, the CDU/CSU’s efforts to reach a “common solution” with the ruling coalition led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz had not succeeded.

According to Merz, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party might be able to secure a parliamentary majority for a “necessary law” on Friday for the first time.

When the CDU leader implied that he could enact laws with the AfD’s backing, he was criticized.

“We don’t because there’s no denying that democracy is in jeopardy if radicals take over. will take every precaution to avoid this,” Merz stated.

He emphasized that following the dissolution of his coalition in November, Scholz’s government represented a minority in parliament.

“I’ll add that when a social and political minority ., democracy is also in danger. utilizes radicals as a means to disregard the wishes of the vast majority of people indefinitely,” Merz stated during Wednesday’s debate.

He demanded that “effective decisions” be taken by Germany against those who had entered the nation illegally.

According to Merz, “criminality among foreigners, particularly among asylum seekers, is a massive problem in Germany.”. “..”.

The speaker emphasized that a significant portion of the population in Germany was of “migrant background,” with many having been there for decades.

Merz said that the far-right, which he claimed was represented by the AfD in the Bundestag, had decided to “target” people of migrant origin.

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Go to the next section: A potentially black-and-blue government?

Twenty-two hours ago.

The beginnings of a black-and-blue government?

Blue represents the Alternative for Germany (AfD), while black represents the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) in Germany’s color-coded political system.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz made a passionate speech in which he accused Friedrich Merz, the leader of the opposition, of relying on AfD votes to pass his immigration proposals.

Additionally, he asserted that Merz is open to forming a “black-and-blue” coalition with them in the government following the February snap election.

Merz, the front-runner to be the next chancellor of Germany, has stated time and again that he will not work with the AfD, which is currently in second place in the polls ahead of the February 23 elections.

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Read on for Scholz’s call for “effective” deportations.

It was twenty-two hours ago.

Scholz urges deportations to be “effective.”.

During a German Bundestag immigration debate, center-left Social Democrats (SPD) Chancellor Olaf Scholz called for Germany to implement “effective” deportations.

He contended that “enforcing our law is the only way that legal immigration will be accepted.”.

He declared, “Compared to the previous year, we have increased the number of deportations by almost a quarter.”.

Scholz claimed that the appropriate application of current legislation could have avoided the fatal knife attack in Aschaffenburg last week.

The right to asylum, he added, “is an integral part of our legal and value system,” emphasizing that these principles could not be compromised.

Scholz referred to the CDU/CSU alliance’s apparent readiness to accept the AfD’s backing for border and asylum policy proposals as an “unforgivable” error.

Germany cannot be “indifferent” about working with the far-right, he said. Germany could not “allow this to ever happen again,” he said, citing the history of “German and European Jews” who had been turned away during the Holocaust, which was carried out under the Nazi dictatorship in Germany. “.”.

With the Taliban ruling Kabul, the chancellor said it was “difficult” to carry out deportations to Afghanistan, but Berlin had succeeded.

In August, a deportation flight departed Germany for Afghanistan. “We are preparing for the next flight,” Scholz stated on Wednesday.

Scholz stated that Berlin was keeping an eye on events in Syria and would start deporting criminals there as soon as conditions allowed.

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To reject CDU/CSU migration motions, skip the next section BSW.

It was twenty-two hours ago.

BSW will deny migration motions from CDU and CSU.

Sahra Wagenknecht, the parliamentary leader of the populist BSW party, claims that the CDU/CSU’s motions on migration will be rejected by the party’s members.

This means that even if the far-right AfD votes in support of these motions, a majority is all but guaranteed.

One possibility is that the “firewall” is saved by the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance alliance. “..”.

Democratic parties have agreed to prevent collaboration with the AfD through the firewall.

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Proceed to the next section. The SPD and Green youth wings accuse the proposals of being racist and anti-democratic.

Twenty-two hours have passed.

The youth wings of the SPD and Green label the proposals as racist and anti-democratic.

The leader of Germany’s Green Youth (GJ) group, a youth organization affiliated with the German Green Party, has charged that the conservative CDU/CSU bloc’s proposals are at odds with the democratic center.

In an interview with the Berlin-based magazine Politik and Kommunikation, Jette Nietzard described the motions as “right-wing extremist, racist, and antidemocratic.”.

“The AfD approves because they are [right-wing extremist] from the beginning, not just because they agree with it. “That’s the proper order,” she declared.

“The conservative bloc’s actions are right-wing populist power politics,” said Philipp Türmer, federal chairman of the SPD youth organization Jusos.

He declared: “We are making every effort to secure majorities in the Bundestag that will keep Friedrich Merz, who is violating our democracy, from becoming chancellor.”.

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Section to skip: Coalition parties criticize CDU’s Merz for being receptive to AfD support.

23 hours have passed since that time.

Coalition parties criticize CDU’s Merz for being receptive to AfD backing.

Christian Democrat leader Friedrich Merz has come under fire from the two parties still in power in Germany’s coalition government, the Green Party and Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democrats (SPD), for stating that he is willing to work with the far-right AfD to advance immigration proposals.

The SPD’s Katja Mast remarked, “A person like that must not lead this country,” referring to Merz’s position as his party’s proposed chancellor.

Mast declared that Merz was “not suitable” to serve as German chancellor because he lacked the ethics and dependability needed for the position.

Identifying the AfD as “the fascists,” Irene Mihalic of the Green Party said that their possible approval would be a “flagrant breach.”. “,”.

“Merz’s actions disgusted me,” Mihalic said.

“It personally impacts me that someone aspiring to be the chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany is playing such a risky game with our nation’s democracy and political culture,” she stated.

A candidate from the Left Party calls the German migration debate “dreadful.”.

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03:19.

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