Polls show conservative leader Friedrich Merz’s Union leading ahead of the Feb. 23 election with around 30% support, while AfD is second with about 20%.

Former chancellor’s intervention exposes deep rift within country’s conservatives over how to handle the far right’s rising influence.

The former chancellor has slammed her conservative CDU party for passing a migration motion with help of the far-right AfD. Merkel blamed party leader Friedrich Merz for going back on a pledge not to work with the AfD.

Friedrich Merz, the front-runner to become Germany’s next chancellor, relied on votes from the far-right AfD to push an anti-migration motion through parliament.

Angela Merkel criticized her successor, Friedrich Merz, for collaborating with the far-right in passing an immigration bill. This decision led to significant backlash, including protest actions and criticism from Holocaust survivor Albrecht Weinberg.

The former chancellor's comments come after the CDU put forward a proposal which was supported by the far-right AfD.

The front-runner to be Germany's next chancellor, Friedrich Merz, has faced criticism for accepting support from the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. View on euronews

Former German chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday criticized her opposition centre-right Christian Democrats (CDU) for passing a motion in parliament for hard-line reforms to migration policy with votes from the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD).

BERLIN - Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel criticised Friedrich Merz, her successor as leader of the country's conservatives, on Thursday for pushing through a bill on tighter immigration control with the help of the far right.

The former German Chancellor has publicly criticised her former party in the wake of far-right AfD's rising popularity.

Germany's ex-chancellor Angela Merkel weighed in Thursday on a controversy flaring ahead of February elections, slamming her party successor for relying on far-right support on the flashpoint issue of immigration.