The CDU's stricter migration policy, backed by the far-right AfD, has sparked protests in Berlin and heightened political tensions in Germany before the parliamentary elections. View on euronews

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.

CDU/CSU's passage of migration motion supported by AfD party has been widely condemned as a ‘dark day’ for German democracy - Anadolu Ajansı

On Wednesday, with the support of the Alternative for Germany, the Christian Democrats passed a motion on migration policy through the Bundestag which abrogates fundamental constitutional principles and European law.

Friedrich Merz, the leading candidate for the chancellery in Germany's upcoming election, said a leaked briefing by Germany's ambassador to the United States heavily criticising Donald Trump was damaging to the German government's reputation.

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.

Friedrich Merz’s hard-line shift on migration is a calculated gambit by the German conservative leader to neutralize the far right and deliver a breakthrough with wavering voters, according to people familiar with his thinking.

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.

A non-binding motion to restrict immigration has sparked outrage after citizens said the conservative CDU/CSU broke a promise not to work with the far-right AfD. Protesters in Berlin gathered outside CDU headquarters.

Alternative for Germany helped push an immigration restriction proposal over the threshold, breaking the "firewall" surrounding the right-wing party.

Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel criticised Friedrich Merz, her successor as leader of the country's conservatives, on Thursday for pushing through a bill on tighter immigration control with the help of the far right.