Overview

• CDU leader Friedrich Merz faces criticism for seeking support from the far-right AfD in a Bundestag vote on migration policy, breaking a longstanding political taboo.
• Protests against perceived normalization of the AfD draw tens of thousands across Germany, with demonstrators condemning the CDU’s actions as a threat to democratic values.
• Markus Söder of the CSU publicly supports Merz but distances himself from the AfD controversy, emphasizing stricter migration policies as a shared priority.
• The SPD and Greens intensify criticism of Merz, framing the CDU’s actions as a betrayal of democratic consensus, while SPD leader Olaf Scholz positions himself as a stable alternative.
• The FDP struggles to regain voter confidence, polling below the 5% threshold needed for Bundestag representation, as internal debates and coalition options remain contentious.