Friedrich Merz, hitherto favourite to become Germany's next chancellor, suffered a blow three weeks before a national election on Friday when 12 of his own legislators refused to support him in backing a migration bill that thereby failed to pass in parliament.

Friedrich Merz, the front-runner to become Germany’s next chancellor, relied on votes from the far-right AfD to push an anti-migration motion through parliament.

The German parliament narrowly rejected on Friday a bill sponsored by conservatives and the far right calling for stricter rules on immigration. Opposition leader Friedrich Merz said the new law

Despite the defeat on Friday in the German parliament of his proposed immigration law, conservative leader Friedrich Merz sees himself and his faction in a stronger position. "I also see myself very much strengthened by what we in the faction decided this week,

Germany's parliament narrowly rejected a bill proposing stricter migration rules, sparking controversy over opposition leader Friedrich Merz's approach and his party's stance toward the far-right. The rejection amplifies divisions among major parties ahead of Germany's elections,

Conservative frontrunner, Friedrich Merz, had declared his willingness to pass a migration law with AfD support, weakening Germany’s far-right “firewall.”

The Bundestag has narrowly rejected a bill to limit migration and close Germany’s borders. German conservatives caused outrage by relying on the far right to try to push through the bill through parliament.

Despite his collaboration with far-right AfD party, Merz fails to gain majority in parliament for his anti-immigration legislation just weeks before parliamentary election - Anadolu Ajansı

Over 1,000 of people protested in the eastern German city of Erfurst on Friday against efforts by the centre-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) to push through reforms to migration laws in parliament with the support of the far right.

The leader of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) has slammed her conservative rival Friedrich Merz after a controversial bill on migration reform failed in parliament on Friday. Alice Weidel said the rejection of the vote,

Germany’s likely next chancellor wants tougher migration measures even with AfD support, triggering a fierce pre-election debate.

Conservative frontrunner Friedrich Merz of the Christian Democrats has reaffirmed his principled rejection of cooperation with the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), despite Wednesday's joint approval of a Bundestag motion on migration policy.