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Thursday, January 30

Berlin protests as Germany’s far-right “firewall” collapses

On Wednesday, Germany's CDU passed a migration vote with far-right AfD support, breaking a political taboo and sparking protests in Berlin.

Photo: IMAGO / photothek

Thursday, January 30

Berlin protests as Germany’s far-right “firewall” collapses

A vote in the German Bundestag yesterday marked a turning point in the country’s politics. For the first time, a motion was passed with support from the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD), breaking the long-standing “Brandmauer” (firewall) – an unofficial agreement among major parties to exclude the radical right from decision-making.

In response, several hundred people gathered outside the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) headquarters in Berlin to protest the conservative party’s reliance on the far right.

The controversial vote followed a recent knife attack in Aschaffenburg, allegedly committed by an Afghan man. CDU leader Friedrich Merz proposed a strict five-point migration plan in reaction to the incident. The measures include rejecting asylum claims, detaining individuals ordered to leave Germany, and significantly increasing deportations. The AfD, known for its hardline stance on migration, accused the CDU of copying its policies.

The vote, which passed with support from the CDU, AfD, and the liberal Free Democratic Party (FDP), shattered a post-World War II political taboo against cooperating with the radical right. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) criticized the development, stating:

“Since the founding of the Federal Republic of Germany over 75 years ago, there has always been a clear consensus among all democrats in our parliaments: we do not make common cause with the far right.”

Of the 703 votes cast, 348 were in favor, and 345 opposed. There were 10 abstentions.