Der Kanzlerkandidat der Union verteidigt seinen Kurs in der Flüchtlingspolitik. Und er attackiert die AfD. Mit Blick auf ihre Europa- und Sicherheitspolitik sagt er: »Ich würde die Seele der CDU verkaufen, wenn ich einen solchen Weg mitgehe.«
Friedrich Merz, the CDU's chancellor candidate, acknowledged a shift in his stance towards the AfD during a Bundestag vote, citing incidents in Magdeburg and Aschaffenburg. Despite initially pledging to avoid collaboration with the AfD, he ended up needing their support. Merz reaffirmed opposition to working with the AfD, criticized their policies, and highlighted the necessity of policy changes to prevent populist gains. Protests against Merz and the CDU occurred during his event.