Summary
Germany’s parliament erupted in controversy after the far-right AfD backed a CDU-led motion for stricter asylum policies, breaking a long-standing “firewall” against cooperation with extremists.
CDU leader Friedrich Merz defended the move, but Chancellor Olaf Scholz condemned it as an “unforgivable mistake.”
The AfD, polling second nationally, celebrated the vote as a victory.
Merz’s stance signals a shift from Angela Merkel’s centrist policies, sparking concerns that mainstream conservatives are normalizing far-right influence ahead of Germany’s upcoming snap election.
Do you have any sources for “basically it’s almost ensured that most multicellular life is toast” or is this supposition? I’m a biologist and, while I think anthropogenic climate change is an extreme threat, have yet to see even the most extreme projections getting us anywhere near what you’re suggesting.