Germany’s long-standing taboo against collaborating with the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has been shattered, as Friedrich Merz, leader of the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU), teamed up with Alice Weidel from the AfD to pass a motion for stricter immigration laws.
For 80 years, major German parties have agreed that they would never cooperate with far-right groups in an effort to prevent extremist forces from gaining power. However, last week’s move by Merz sparked outrage and led to rare interventions from the Protestant and Catholic Churches, as well as Merkel’s predecessor as CDU leader, Angela Merkel.
Merz’s decision was seen as a “Faustian pact” that allowed a toxic party guilty of antisemitic and anti-Muslim statements to enter the “bourgeois middle.” However, Merz argued that if there is one issue that drives voters into the arms of the AfD, it’s immigration. The CDU leader understands that widespread discontent over migration levels has surged his party to second in the polls just weeks before a general election.
Despite initial resistance from other parties such as the SPD and Greens, who prefer to portray themselves as the last bastion of resistance against an impending seizure of power by extremist forces, Merz is seen as the only mainstream politician with a concrete plan to tackle migration. His gamble has sparked debate about whether his move will ultimately push the AfD onto the defensive or alienate potential coalition partners.
A recent snapshot poll suggests that the AfD is only two points behind the CDU in the polls, although it’s unclear how much time last week’s immigration showdown had influenced public opinion before the election. The outcome of the February 23 general election remains uncertain, with the possibility of a stable government hanging in the balance.
Source: https://theweek.com/politics/germany-breaks-its-far-right-taboo