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.

The conservative CDU/CSU party is hardening its stance on irregular immigration. Others in Europe have already paved the way.

The breaking of a taboo among mainstream German parties on cooperation with the far right looks set to complicate efforts to form a coalition government after an election next month, and could deepen political instability in Europe's biggest economy.

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

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 ...

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.

R ARELY HAS the Bundestag known such drama. On January 29th, to scenes of uproar in Germany’s parliament, a tiny majority of mps approved a radical five-point plan to curb irreg

Despite the pushback, a recent poll published by the German tabloid 'Bild' indicates that the majority of Germans might be in favour of his stringent measures on illegal immigration. In an INSA-conducted survey, an overwhelming two-thirds majority reportedly backed Merz's strict stance on immigration policy.

Germany's conservative opposition leader Friedrich Merz, frontrunner in polls to become the next chancellor ... he would seek strong ties with Germany's traditional core EU partner France but also with Poland and Italy, led by far-right premier Giorgia ...

Without the migration policies since 2015, the AfD wouldn’t be anywhere near this strong,” says Vienna’s former conservative chancellor.

Conservative leader Friedrich Merz has presented a five-point plan to end irregular migration. However, both EU and German law would make it difficult for him to set his plan in motion.