The co-leader of Germany’s Greens has asked for “clarification” from Friedrich Merz after hints that the conservative leader could turn to the far right for support on passing migration reforms after a deadly knife attack.
Felix Banaszak told public broadcaster ZDF that the Greens – a potential coalition partner for Merz’s centre-right CDU/CSU bloc after elections in February – need further details on Merz’s plans, as the political fallout from the stabbing in the southern city of Aschaffenburg continues.
The suspect in Wednesday’s attack is a 28-year-old Afghan national who was due to be deported.
Merz, the favourite to become Germany’s next chancellor, promised on Thursday to step up deportations and turn back all migrants at Germany’s borders, even if they are entitled to protection.
He said his proposed reforms would be central to any future coalition and says he did not “care who goes down this path politically.”
While Merz has repeatedly ruled out working with the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), who are second in the polls, the comments have caused some concern that the “firewall” blocking co-operation with the AfD could be under pressure.
Alice Weidel, the AfD candidate for chancellor, said on Thursday that the CDU/CSU bloc must abandon the firewall in order to pass legislation on the “closure of borders and turning back of illegal immigrants.”
Banaszak called the attack in Aschaffenburg a “turning point,” and said the Greens support investigations into what went wrong, but warned that Merz’s comments were not doing justice to the difficult situation.
