The country’s likely next chancellor wanted to focus on the economy—before suddenly betting everything on culture war.

Welcome to TOPLive. We’ll be covering today’s vote on a divisive anti-immigration bill in Germany’s lower house of parliament, the Bundestag. Conservative leader Friedrich Merz is taking a hard line and attempting to push through legislation with support from the far-right Alternative for Germany party.

Germany will hold a snap national election on Feb. 23 following the collapse of Chancellor Olaf Scholz's three-way coalition.

Tens of thousands of Germans have protested in Berlin and other cities against the rise of the far-right, anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany party ahead of the Feb. 23 election.

BERLIN — Germany’s parliament is expected to vote Friday on an opposition bill calling for tougher rules on migration that could become the first legislation to pass thanks to a far-right party — adding to a controversy about the attitude of the front-runner in Germany’s upcoming election toward the far right.

Germany’s conservative bloc requested a surprise recess in the lower house of parliament on Friday in a sign of the tension over plans to pass a hard-line immigration bill with backing of the far right.

German lawmakers face another hugely contentious vote on Friday, days after a motion demanding reforms to migration laws passed in parliament with backing from the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD),