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 German Bundestag passed Friedrich Merz's so-called five-point migration plan — which promised a dramatic tightening of the country's migration and asylum law — through parliament. MPs narrowly voted in favour of turning away asylum seekers and other migrants back at Germany's borders — despite criticism that this could break both German and EU asylum law.

The front-runner to be Germany's next chancellor, Friedrich Merz, has faced criticism for accepting support from the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. View on euronews

The conservative leader wants to impose strict border controls after knife killings in Aschaffenburg this week.

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 government and opposition are clashing over border control policies. Opposition leader Friedrich Merz pushes for tighter controls with potential far-right support. The tension arises amid rising violence,

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.

German opposition leader Friedrich Merz has floated proposing legislation to tighten Germany's border controls, and claimed it would be on the SPD and Greens if he had to pass it with votes from the far-right AfD.

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.

German opposition leader Friedrich Merz proposes stricter measures against illegal migration following a violent attack by an Afghan asylum seeker. His plan includes permanent border controls, halting illegal entries,

German opposition leader Friedrich Merz, who is seen as the frontrunner to become the country's next chancellor, said that Donald Trump's second term will provide more clarity for the European Union.

The EPP’s messaging is clear that the CDU will return in the driver’s seat, if Merz becomes Germany's chancellor.