German Parliament Rejects Tougher Immigration Law Proposal amid Controversy

The German parliament voted against a proposed law on immigration policy, initiated by the opposition conservatives. Opposition leader Friedrich Merz supported the law citing recent high-profile incidents. The proposal spurred protests due to unexpected backing from the far-right, sparking political controversy.

The German parliament has rejected a draft law put forward by the opposition seeking to tighten immigration policy. The decision comes just two days after accusations of the conservatives breaching a long-standing agreement against cooperating with the far right.

Opposition leader Friedrich Merz, whose conservative party leads the polls ahead of the February 23 snap election, argued that the law was necessary given a series of high-profile killings involving individuals of immigrant backgrounds. This non-binding motion saw approval by federal parliament on Wednesday, partly due to legislative support from the Alternative for Germany (AfD), igniting widespread protests from the public and politicians, including some within Merz's own party, over the perceived collaboration with the far right.

Public opinion appears split; a DeutschlandTrend poll shows that 67% of voters are in favor of permanent border controls, which includes a majority among Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats' supporters.

(With inputs from agencies.)