German immigration bill rejected despite far-right backing

MPs vote against a law proposed by the main conservative opposition and supported by Alternative for Germany (AfD).

British Broadcasting CorporationWatch LiveHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthVideoLiveHomeNewsIsrael-Gaza WarWar in UkraineUS & CanadaUKUK PoliticsEnglandN. IrelandN. Ireland PoliticsScotlandScotland PoliticsWalesWales PoliticsAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastIn PicturesBBC InDepthBBC VerifySportBusinessExecutive LoungeTechnology of BusinessFuture of BusinessInnovationTechnologyScience & HealthArtificial IntelligenceAI v the MindCultureFilm & TVMusicArt & DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsArtsArts in MotionTravelDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWorld’s TableCulture & ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListEarthNatural WondersWeather & ScienceClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingVideoLiveLive NewsLive SportHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthVideoLiveAudioWeatherNewslettersGerman immigration bill rejected despite far-right backing22 hours agoKathryn Armstrong and Damien McGuiness in BerlinBBC NewsGetty ImagesFriedrich Merz had previously ruled out relying on the AfD The German parliament has rejected immigration measures put forward by the conservative opposition and backed by the far-right.

Christian Democratic Union (CDU) leader Friedrich Merz, who is tipped to be Germany's next chancellor, had tried to rely on support from the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party for the second time in a week - but the bill was defeated by 350 votes to 338.

The strategy was widely condemned, including by Merz's predecessor as CDU leader and former chancellor Angela Merkel, who accused him of turning his back on a previous pledge not to work with AfD in the Bundestag.

Merz defended his actions as "necessary" and said he had not sought the party's support.

"A right decision doesn't become wrong just because the wrong people agree to it," he said.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwyegkpkg31o

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