Germany's Chancellor Merz Rejects Far-Right Cooperation Amid AfD's Poll Surge

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is intensifying his efforts to counter the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), which has become the largest opposition party in the Bundestag and is leading polls in several eastern German states ahead of upcoming elections. Merz has firmly rejected calls from within his Christian Democratic Union (CDU) to cooperate with the AfD, emphasizing the need to maintain a clear political firewall and highlight the CDU's differences from the far-right party. His strategy includes strengthening the CDU's presence in eastern Germany, establishing expert committees to shape the political agenda, and promoting a positive image of the CDU as a solution-oriented party. Merz has also doubled down on controversial remarks about migration, arguing that the government must increase deportations and expressing concerns about the impact of migration on German cities. He attributes the AfD's rise partly to Angela Merkel's 2015 decision to admit nearly one million Syrian refugees and subsequent policies by the coalition government under Olaf Scholz. Amid these developments, CDU leaders are focused on developing a robust approach to counter the AfD's growing influence ahead of key state elections in 2026.