The German Bundestag has rejected an immigration bill put forward by the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the Christian Social Union (CSU). Although the bill initially secured a majority in the preliminary vote with support from the Alternative for Germany (AfD), it ultimately failed to pass by a narrow margin.
A total of 350 MPs voted against the bill, while 338 voted in favor, and five abstained. Many MPs welcomed the result with applause, as it prevented the AfD from securing a majority in the vote.
Friedrich Merz, the Union faction’s candidate for chancellor in the February 23 general elections, proposed a five-point plan to tighten Germany’s immigration policy. His proposal called for ending family reunification for migrants with temporary protection status, expanding police powers, accelerating deportations, and strengthening border controls.
Merz faced strong criticism from several German politicians, including former Chancellor Angela Merkel and current Chancellor Olaf Scholz, after his proposal initially secured a majority with AfD’s support. Critics argued that this jeopardized the “firewall” principle, which refers to the democratic parties’ agreement to avoid cooperation with the AfD.
During the parliamentary debate, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Green Party) criticized the Union faction’s approach, stating, “You don’t need a wrecking ball to tear down the firewall and set your house on fire—just keep drilling holes. First, Wednesday’s proposal, now today’s bill—what’s next?”
In the final hours before the vote, heated debates unfolded among German parties. The traffic light coalition (SPD, Greens, and FDP) had already declared their opposition to the “Migration Flow Limitation” bill, while opposition parties, including the AfD, backed it. Despite last-minute negotiations among democratic parties to reach a compromise, no agreement was reached before the vote.
Immigration has emerged as a key issue in the ongoing election campaigns. The Union faction’s proposal to tighten immigration laws—coupled with its initial voting success, backed by the AfD—has further widened the rift between the Union bloc and the Traffic Light Coalition parties.
Recent opinion polls show the Union faction leading with 30%, followed by the AfD at 20%, while the Greens and Social Democrats (SPD) trail behind. Union leader Friedrich Merz is capitalizing on his hardline stance on immigration to bolster voter support.
