Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel has entered the political fray just weeks before the country's federal election, publicly rebuking her successor, Friedrich Merz, for breaking the long-standing conservative commitment to isolating the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), Politico reported.
Her rare intervention exposes a deepening rift within the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) over its stance on migration and the rising influence of the far right.
Three years after leaving office, Merkel ignited a political firestorm by openly criticizing the leader of her own party, Merz, for accepting far-right support to pass an anti-immigration motion in parliament.
Merkel condemned Merz's decision to rely on AfD votes to pass the CDU's asylum-seeker proposal.
"I consider it wrong to abandon this commitment and, as a result, to knowingly allow a majority with AfD votes in the Bundestag for the first time," Merkel said in a statement, referring to the unwritten "firewall" that has historically separated the CDU from the AfD.
Merkel pointed to an agreement Merz made in November 2024, when he pledged to ensure that the AfD would not play a decisive role in passing legislation.
"This proposal and the stance associated with it were an expression of great state political responsibility, which I fully support in its entirety," she added.
The intervention highlights growing tensions within the CDU, which has shifted further to the right under Merz's leadership, particularly on immigration. Since taking over in 2022, Merz has distanced the party from Merkel's centrist legacy, embracing more hard-line rhetoric on migration and security.
The controversy erupted after the CDU introduced a nonbinding motion calling for the rejection of asylum-seekers at Germany's borders. The Bundestag vote, which passed with AfD support, was seen as a symbolic breach of the firewall that Merkel and other centrist CDU leaders had maintained for years.
For the AfD, the vote signaled a breakthrough. "Now begins a new era," said senior AfD lawmaker Bernd Baumann, celebrating the CDU's apparent shift toward their position.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán also welcomed the development, posting on X, "Guten Morgen, Deutschland! Welcome to the club!"
AfD chancellor candidate Alice Weidel responded, "Good Morning Hungary! Nice to be part of your club!"
The CDU's move has sparked backlash from Germany's center-left government.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz and his Social Democratic Party (SPD) accused Merz of betraying democratic norms, while demonstrators gathered outside CDU headquarters, demanding the party reaffirm its stance against the AfD.
Merz now faces mounting pressure over his leadership. While he has not explicitly endorsed working with the AfD, his willingness to accept their support on key votes has blurred red lines within the CDU.
Merkel's criticism could deepen the crisis. Though she stepped down as CDU leader in 2018 and left office in 2021, she remains an influential figure within the party, particularly among moderates who see her as a stabilizing force.
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.