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GERMANY: Migration Bill Defeated In Parl't In Blow To Oppo Ldr. Merz

GERMANY
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Legislation intended to restrict migration into Germany has been defeated in the Bundestag after a day of high political drama and bitter accusations in parliament. The 'Influx Limitation Act' was defeated by 338 votes to 350 with five abstentions after several parties split on the issue. The main disagreements came down to the support of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) for the bill. Friedrich Merz, leader of the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) argued that the bill had widespread backing among voters and should not be halted due to the AfD's votes. 

  • However, moderates within the CDU and the pro-business liberal Free Democrats (FDP) disagreed, resulting in a split that saw the bill fail. The combined seat total of the parties backing the legislation (CDU/CSU, AfD, FDP and far-left nationalist Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance) totals 372, over the 367 needed for a majority.
  • Merz has spent significant political capital on getting the bill through before the election, only to see major divisions emerge within his CDU. In the short term, the result is an embarrassment for Merz, could cause ructions within the CDU and risk losing support among moderate voters opposed to even the smallest signs of working with the AfD.
  • However, as Bild noted ahead of the vote there is broad public support for the legislation. Bild: " 67 percent of Germans are demanding that the SPD agree to the Merz law. Almost half of Germans (48 percent) are in principle in agreement if tougher migration laws are passed with AfD support. 33 percent reject this." As such, Merz may seek to argue the Bundestag has stood in the way of a popular law, and that only voting for the CDU on 23 Feb can see such legislation be brought back. 
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Legislation intended to restrict migration into Germany has been defeated in the Bundestag after a day of high political drama and bitter accusations in parliament. The 'Influx Limitation Act' was defeated by 338 votes to 350 with five abstentions after several parties split on the issue. The main disagreements came down to the support of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) for the bill. Friedrich Merz, leader of the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) argued that the bill had widespread backing among voters and should not be halted due to the AfD's votes. 

  • However, moderates within the CDU and the pro-business liberal Free Democrats (FDP) disagreed, resulting in a split that saw the bill fail. The combined seat total of the parties backing the legislation (CDU/CSU, AfD, FDP and far-left nationalist Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance) totals 372, over the 367 needed for a majority.
  • Merz has spent significant political capital on getting the bill through before the election, only to see major divisions emerge within his CDU. In the short term, the result is an embarrassment for Merz, could cause ructions within the CDU and risk losing support among moderate voters opposed to even the smallest signs of working with the AfD.
  • However, as Bild noted ahead of the vote there is broad public support for the legislation. Bild: " 67 percent of Germans are demanding that the SPD agree to the Merz law. Almost half of Germans (48 percent) are in principle in agreement if tougher migration laws are passed with AfD support. 33 percent reject this." As such, Merz may seek to argue the Bundestag has stood in the way of a popular law, and that only voting for the CDU on 23 Feb can see such legislation be brought back.