Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel criticised Friedrich Merz, her successor as leader of the country's conservatives, on Thursday for pushing through a bill on tighter immigration control with the help of the far right.

Politicians from the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) criticized former German Chancellor Angela Merkel for her comments on the migration policy of the CDU's chancellor candidate, Friedrich Merz. Party colleagues believe Merkel should simply "stay silent.

As Germans prepare to vote on Feb. 23, an almighty argument over whether mainstream parties should work with the anti-immigration AfD is threatening to upend politics in Europe’s most powerful