Germany's former chancellor, Angela Merkel, has strongly criticized Christian Democratic Union (CDU) leader Friedrich Merz for putting forward an anti-immigration motion that sought support from the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, News.az reports citing foreign media.
In a statement posted on her official website on Thursday, Merkel criticised CDU leader Merz for reversing his stance from just two months earlier, when he had called on democratic parties to avoid any cooperation with right-wing extremists in the parliament."This proposal at that time and the stance associated with it were an expression of great political responsibility, which I fully supported," Merkel said.
"I consider it is wrong to no longer feel bound by this proposal and thereby, for the first time, to allow a majority with the votes of the AfD in a vote in the parliament."
The Christian Democrats had previously maintained a strict policy of non-cooperation with the AfD at all levels of government, considering the far-right party's extremist positions incompatible with democratic values.
The party introduced several motions and a draft bill to parliament this week to modify the country's immigration and asylum laws, ahead of elections on February 23.
A key non-binding motion—which called for turning away irregular migrants and asylum seekers at German borders—passed Wednesday with the AfD's support.
The measure narrowly succeeded with 348 votes to 345, critically relying on 75 AfD votes.
The immigration and deportation debate in Germany has intensified after a recent deadly knife attack in Aschaffenburg last week that claimed two lives, including a child's.
