On Wednesday, Merz pushed through a non-binding motion in favour of an immigration crackdown with support from the AfD, breaking with Germany’s tradition of consensus-driven, centrist politics. Many fear it will only further embolden the far right.

Though German Chancellor Olaf Scholz meant his comparison of CDU leader Friedrich Merz to Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán as an insult, "experience suggests it is actually a compliment", Zoltán Kovács said on Facebook.

BERLIN — With Germany’s election less than a month away, center-left Chancellor Olaf Scholz has thrown cold water on the prospect of reviving the country’s traditional grand coalition — bluntly declaring that he “can’t trust” conservative leader Friedrich Merz anymore.

Friedrich Merz, the conservative frontrunner to replace Chancellor Olaf Scholz after Germany's upcoming elections, is calling on the European Union to present a united front in response to US President-elect Donald Trump.

Social Democrat Scholz warns that Merz's proposal for permanent border controls would violate EU law, damage the economy, and threaten stability - Anadolu Ajansı

Context: Brussels is “reviewing” its probes into tech groups including Apple, Meta and Google, launched under its landmark digital markets rules. Trump said he considered fines imposed by the EU on US tech companies operating there as a “form of taxation”, and has vowed to retaliate.

Germany's conservative opposition leader Friedrich Merz, frontrunner in polls to become ... he would seek strong ties with Germany's traditional core EU partner France but also with Poland and ...

The EPP’s messaging is clear that the CDU will return in the driver’s seat, if Merz becomes Germany's chancellor.

Germany's conservative election frontrunner Friedrich Merz defiantly vowed Friday to pass a bill to restrict immigration with the support of the far-right AfD, repeating a tactic that has sparked an

How Germany, like other countries in the West, can avoid sweeping judgments and take a clear-eyed approach to a complex reality.

The country’s likely next chancellor wanted to focus on the economy—before suddenly betting everything on culture war.