German Frontrunner Suffers Blow With Shock Migration Defeat
- Friedrich Merz failed to push through migration crackdown
- Setback followed bid for last-ditch compromise, tense debate
Friedrich Merz in the Bundestag chamber during the immigration bill vote in Berlin, Germany, on Jan. 31.
Photographer: Krisztian Bocsi/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
German conservative leader Friedrich Merz suffered a shock setback in his bid to become chancellor after his effort to push through tough migration legislation with backing from the far-right failed in a tense parliamentary vote.
Despite opposition from Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democrats and the Greens, Merz thought he had enough support on Friday after succeeding with a related non-binding resolution earlier this week.