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Friedrich Merz and his Christian Democrats have damaged a political taboo when running with the election of the right so that Germany tightens the immigration regulations. He paid.
By Christopher F. Schuetze and Jim Tankersley
Reporting from Berlin
The guy who has been heavily favored to become Gerguyy’s next chancellor made an ordinary bet this week, either for his political long run and for his country’s longstanding firewall opposed to political extremism.
He took up position as expected.
In an effort to painting himself and his party as tricky for immigration, Friedrich Merz, the leader of Christian democrats in the voting heads, driven a series of measures tightening borders and accelerating deportations to Parliament this week. He did it with the of the choice lasts right for the German party, or AFD – of which parties have been classified as extremists through German intelligence agencies.
On Friday, the gambit ended in a crushing legislative defeat for Mr. Merz, dissent in his own party and jubilant claims of new legitimacy from the AfD, a chain reaction that could rattle Mr. Merz’s comfortable seat at the top of the polls.
Mr. Merz’s preference to have AFD has damaged a taboo in German politics that had ended since the end of World War II.
This left Mr. Merz facing fierce complaint from political opponents, devout leaders, Holocaust survivors, and former Chancellor Angela Merkel, who remains a member of Mr. Merz’s party. Tens of thousands have demonstrated the Conservative Christian Democrats’ party offices across the country.
Despite criticism and several possibilities to take a step back, Mr. Merz to bring a bill strengthening immigration regulations to the chamber’s Parquet field on Friday. He failed.
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