German Election Front-Runner Jolts Race With Pivot Toward AfD
- The far-right AfD joined a conservative motion in parliament
- Chancellor Olaf Scholz blasted Merz for working with the party
Source: AFP/Getty Images
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Germany’s conservative chancellor candidate Friedrich Merz, whose CDU/CSU coalition is leading polls by double digits, upended the election campaign Wednesday by accepting votes from the nationalist Alternative for Germany to pass a hard-line migration resolution through parliament.
Even though the motion was non-binding, it was the first time a democratic mainstream party relied on a far-right group since World War II to clinch a majority in parliament.