German Parties Clash Over Migration and Housing as Election Nears

With less than three weeks to the Bundestag election, debates intensify over migration policy, housing reforms, and economic strategies among leading candidates and parties.

RTL announces an expanded televised debate featuring four leading chancellor candidates, including Merz, Scholz, Habeck, and Weidel, marking a shift from traditional two-person formats.
Protests erupt nationwide against Friedrich Merz and the CDU following the party's alignment with the AfD on migration legislation, drawing tens of thousands of demonstrators in major cities.
The FDP proposes a 'Migrationspakt der Mitte' to unify democratic parties on migration policy, but faces criticism for its inconsistent stance and internal divisions on the issue.
Housing remains a key election topic, with parties presenting diverging plans ranging from strengthened rent controls to deregulation of the housing market to increase supply.
Economic policy debates focus on taxation, energy costs, and regulatory reforms, with Merz emphasizing industrial competitiveness and Lindner advocating tax cuts and reduced bureaucracy.