Heated debate: Merz does not find a majority for the Migration Limitation Act

The draft law of the Union faction, which is heavily discussed for support from the AfD, has failed in the Bundestag. Head of session Petra Pau announced that the “influx limitation law” had not found a majority. Accordingly, 692 MPs submitted their votes: 338 yes votes, 349 no votes and 5 abstentions.

According to the Bundestag administration, 184 Union MPs voted for the draft. Twelve members of the parliamentary group did not vote. There were 75 votes in favor of the AfD, an AfD MP did not give up his voice. Five factionless, seven members of the BSW and 67 FDP MPs also supported the project. Union faction leader Friedrich Merz (CDU) was somewhat disappointed that there were two votes against the FDP parliamentary group, five abstentions and 16 voices that have not been cast. The SPD, Greens and the Left had rejected the plans closed and heavily criticized – in terms of content and because, in their view, no law should be brought into the Bundestag to which the AfD could help a majority.

With the vote on the “influx limitation law”, the Union Chancellor wanted to demonstrate Tannkraft and strength in migration policy under the impression of the deadly knife attack by Aschaffenburg. But even after hours of negotiations with the SPD, the Greens and the FDP, no compromise was achieved, in which the AfD could have a decisive role – and then the proposal of his faction also failed in the plenary.

Anyone who saw a hardliner in Merz who missed the necessary distance to the political competition on the right of the Union in the advertising around AfD voters should now feel confirmed. Anyone who had promised themselves from the Union Chancellor candidate for more deportations and less escape migration should also be disappointed – after all, the necessary majority did not come about for the bill of CDU/CSU.

Weidel calls Merz “Bed Pad”

AfD boss Alice Weidel said after the vote that it was shown that her faction was more closed than the CDU/CSU. She said, “This was the dismantling of Friedrich Merz as a candidate for chancellor.” His own faction “sawed off” him. “Friedrich Merz jumped as a tiger and ended as a bed in front.”

The impression of the events with voters will leave. According to the current ARD “Germany trend”, two out of three citizens (68 percent) believe that Germany should accept fewer refugees than up to date. A good fifth (22 percent) believes that Germany should continue to accommodate as many refugees as at the moment.

What that means for the election campaign

Before the Bundestag election on February 23, the Greens actually wanted to advertise with their own content: functioning infrastructure, affordable life, climate protection and social security. But now the warning of a possible right of right for the party should again become a dominant topic. This is exactly what the party actually wanted to avoid after several unsuccessful country election campaigns with this strategy.

The SPD has already been overwhelmed: for days it has been advertising for a bulwark against the right edge on social media, according to the motto “Mitte instead of Merz”. Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) has given the course with the warning that Merz could possibly enter into a black and blue alliance.

Grumped in the CDU too

He will have to react to it. Instead of speaking as previously announced in the election campaign on economic policy, the CDU boss should now have to deal with the question of whether the fire wall he conjured up on the AfD is really.

A grumble about the tactics of Merz can also be heard from his own party – even if he enjoys broad support in his faction. On the street, thousands demonstrate against a possible cooperation between the Union with the AfD – not a nice picture for CDU/CSU. Merz also delivered a real mobilization program with his procedure, it is also critical of his own ranks.

Baerbock speaks of “shame”

On Wednesday, an application by the CDU/CSU found a majority for rejections from migrants to the German borders, which has no binding effect. Representatives of CDU/CSU, AfD, FDP and non -factional MPs approved him, which triggered outrage.

Tens of thousands of people took to the streets – including in Berlin, Freiburg, Hanover and Munich. There was also a headwind from their own ranks: former Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) switched on. She called it “wrong” to enable a majority with votes from the AfD for the first time.

It is now about correcting “the shame of Wednesday”, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) said in the debate on Friday. SPD parliamentary group leader Rolf Mützenich called Merz: “The fall will accompany you forever. But the gate to hell, yes, I say it, we can still close the gate to hell together.”

Hot negotiations and mutual allegations

The debate on the draft law began with a delay of three and a half hours. The FDP had initially proposed to send the draft back into the committees and possibly still a decision without preventing the AfD as a majority procurer. This was followed by hectic consultations between the CDU/CSU, SPD, Greens and FDP, which, however, did not agree. The FDP then waived its proposal.

Union faction leader Merz again strictly rejected the allegation of cooperation with the AfD in the voting on a sharper migration policy. To demand SPD parliamentary group leader Mützenich that he should apologize that he had shared the AfD, the CDU chairwoman and Union Chancellor candidate said in the debate about the law of his parliamentary group: “Nobody from my party is enough for the AfD . “

FDP-Vice Wolfgang Kubicki accused the Greens an immoral migration policy. “Anyone who thinks they can impress others with moral appeals while doing nothing to tackle obvious problems in the country shows only one thing: it is not about the country, he is only concerned with himself,” said Kubicki.

Design with stricter regulations

The core of the draft law was a suspension of family reunification to refugees with limited protection status. This group includes many Syrians in Germany. In addition, the powers of the federal police should be expanded. If, for example, you can find out -of -person deployment at train stations, she should be able to cause deportation. In its draft, the Union also urged to re -include the goal of a “limitation” of the influx of foreigners.