Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel Criticizes Successor Over Migration Policy
Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel has issued rare public criticism of her successor, conservative leader Friedrich Merz, over his handling of migration policy. Merz, the front-runner in Germany’s upcoming election, has put forward proposals for tough new migration rules that only passed with the help of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.
Merkel, who stepped down as chancellor in 2021, said in a statement that Merz had broken a political consensus to shun the AfD party and that his actions were “inexcusable.” She noted that Merz had previously stated that no measures should be passed with AfD support before the February 23 election.
Merz’s proposals include turning back many more migrants at Germany’s borders, and Merkel has expressed concerns that his actions could undermine efforts to prevent attacks like the deadly knife attack last week, in which the suspect was a rejected asylum-seeker.
The criticism from Merkel, a former leader of Merz’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU), has raised questions about whether Merz can still be trusted not to bring the AfD into government. The AfD is currently second in the polls, with around 20% support.
Merkel’s intervention has been seen as a significant blow to Merz’s campaign, and could complicate efforts to form a coalition after the election. The center-left governing parties have also cast doubt on whether Merz can still be trusted, with Chancellor Olaf Scholz describing his actions as “an inexcusable mistake.”