AfD and SPD can make gains in surveys. Christian Lindner is attacked with soap. All developments in the news blog.
This news blog has been ended. You can read more recent news about the new elections here.
4.50 a.m.: None of the possible coalition options currently has a majority in Germany. A black-red coalition receives the most approval in a recent survey – or at least the least rejection. A total of 46 percent of those surveyed in a survey by the opinion research institute YouGov were “somewhat” or “completely” in favor of cooperation between the CDU/CSU and the SPD. Even more people, 49 percent, reject it.
In second place is an alliance between the CDU/CSU and the FDP. 60 percent of those surveyed reject this completely or tend to reject it, while 33 percent are more or less in favor of it. Close behind is a possible coalition between the Union and the Greens, which 62 percent reject and 31 percent support. The most unpopular of the alliances surveyed is a possible new edition of the traffic light coalition made up of the SPD, Greens and FDP, which collapsed in the dispute. Only 16 percent would be in favor, 78 percent against.
2 a.m.: According to Trier Bishop Stephan Ackermann, the future federal government must be particularly active on the issues of flight, asylum and migration. “This is an urgent issue both for those seeking protection and for social peace in our country as a whole,” he told the German Press Agency. Asylum policy should be regulated more effectively together with the European partners.
This must be done humanely and in accordance with “human rights standards”. In addition, a “coherent immigration policy” is necessary to control the immigration of workers. “This needs to be taken more into account.”
1:23 a.m.: Almost seven weeks before the federal election, the CDU spoke out in favor of tightening regulations on the expulsion of criminal foreigners. “We cannot tolerate that people who are our guests and seek help become criminals or carry out conflicts on German soil,” says a draft resolution of a security paper for the security paper that begins on Friday, according to a report in the “Rheinische Post”. Union board meeting in Hamburg.
In the future, the following must apply: “A perpetrator loses his right of residence if he commits a crime so serious that he is legally sentenced – even on probation – to a prison sentence. Or if he is legally convicted for the second time for intentional crimes, regardless of whether a prison sentence or not.”
6:59 p.m.: According to the latest ARD “Germany trend”, the Union has lost approval, but is still clearly ahead compared to the survey from mid-December. It comes to 31 percent and thus loses two percentage points. The AfD with 20 percent and the SPD with 15 percent can each gain one percentage point. This also applies to the FDP and the Left with four percent each. The Greens remain at 14 and the BSW at seven percent.
The dissatisfaction of those surveyed by Infratest dimap regarding politicians remains very high. Green candidate for chancellor Robert Habeck achieved 28 percent approval, but 65 percent were “less or not at all satisfied.” Union Chancellor candidate Friedrich Merz loses significantly and ends up with 25 percent satisfied and 64 percent dissatisfied. Only 20 percent are satisfied with Chancellor Olaf Scholz and 77 percent are dissatisfied.
4:05 p.m: Union candidate for chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) does not consider fixed GDP percentages to be effective when financing defense spending. “Whether it’s 2, 2.5 or 5 percent, to be honest, that only has a secondary meaning for me,” said the CDU chairman at an event organized by the Hamburg Business Journalists’ Club. The crucial thing is “that we have the necessary money to put the Bundeswehr back in a position to fulfill its mission.” And the mission is national and alliance defense. “And we’re pretty far from that.”