The Faulty ‘Firewall’
Germany’s opposition conservatives won parliamentary approval on Wednesday for a proposal to restrict migration, a vote that stirred controversy because it breached a “firewall” by working with the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, Reuters reported.
Fredrich Merz, the leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), proposed a motion in parliament calling for tougher border controls and asylum rules, which passed with the support of the AfD, sparking anger and recriminations among lawmakers across the political aisle.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz of the center-left Social Democratic Party reprimanded Merz for his actions, calling them an “unforgivable mistake.”
“Since the founding of the Federal Republic of Germany over 75 years ago, there has always been a clear consensus among all democrats in our parliaments: We do not make common cause with the far right,” he told the legislature.
His predecessor, Angela Merkel – also of the CDU – criticized Merz’s decision, saying he had said in November that no measures should be passed with the AfD’s support, wrote Deutsche Welle.
The importance of the firewall against the far right in the Western European country’s political culture is due to the legacy of the Nazi party and its responsibility for the Holocaust.
Many mainstream parties consider it taboo to work with them. Meanwhile, the German security services are monitoring the AfD on suspicion of being a right-wing extremist party.
Even so, the CDU leader defended his actions as “necessary,” and now plans to propose actual legislation on Friday aimed at curbing immigration numbers and family reunification rights, again with possible backing from the AfD, according to the BBC.
The recent controversy comes as Germany heads to parliamentary elections on Feb. 23 following the collapse of Scholz’s three-party coalition.
Merz is the frontrunner for chancellor due to his party’s leading position in the polls. He has pushed for a stricter migration policy following a series of deadly attacks in recent months by migrants.
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