Survey on migration: approval for Friedrich Merz - also among SPD voters

Berliner Zeitung Survey on migration: approval for Friedrich Merz - also among SPD voters Eva Maria Braungart • 6 hours • 2 minutes reading time CDU leader Friedrich Merz has caused quite a stir in recent days with his controversial proposal to turn back anyone without valid papers, including asylum seekers, at the German border. But there is apparently also approval. The case of the so-called firewall to the AfD in particular caused discussion: "If these proposals come to a vote (it is somewhat complicated in terms of the procedure to have these proposals voted on immediately), we will vote regardless of who supports these proposals. This also applies if only the AfD supports our proposals," said an internal CDU letter that the Berliner Zeitung has seen. An INSA survey commissioned by the Bild newspaper has now shown that 66 percent of Germans support Friedrich Merz's plan to turn away illegal migrants and asylum seekers at all borders. The plan also received a lot of approval among SPD voters - 56 percent said they liked the CDU leader's plan. 30 percent of SPD supporters rejected the demands. Among Green voters, rejection was significantly higher (52 percent), with almost a third (30 percent) agreeing with the Union's candidate for chancellor. Merz's initiatives were met with sharp criticism. The SPD and the Greens had declared that this step violated European law and the German constitution. "By accepting AfD votes, he is not only throwing the Union's previous principles overboard, but is also splitting the democratic center and sending a fatal signal to our European partners," said SPD General Secretary Matthias Miersch to the editorial network Germany RND. Meanwhile, Merz is trying to win votes from the SPD, the Greens and the FDP: "No, dear colleagues from the SPD and the Greens, the arguments against the application of national law are a pretext." The CDU politician would like to forego the votes of the AfD in his approach. "Our motions are aimed at all members of the German Bundestag, especially the members of the SPD, the Greens and the FDP. We do not have and do not want a majority with the AfD."