Friedrich Merz and his Christian Democrats broke a political taboo by working with the hard-right Alternative for Germany to toughen rules on immigration. It did not pay off.

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.

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.

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

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.”

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

Chancellor Scholz says rival Merz joining forces with far-right party in parliament to introduce stricter migration legislation ahead of Feb. 23 elections - Anadolu Ajansı

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.

German opposition leader Friedrich Merz sees potential in collaborating with U.S. President Trump, advocating for a strong European negotiating stance. His call for unified military purchases faces challenges from France's defense industry.

Friedrich Merz, the German election frontrunner, passed a controversial migration motion in parliament, advocating stricter asylum policies. The motion, opposed by Chancellor Scholz's Social Democrats and the Greens,

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,