A motion on the topic of migration has passed in the German Bundestag with a narrow majority. In a secret ballot, 348 members of parliament voted in favor of the motion, while 345 voted against, with ten abstentions. The FDP and AfD had announced in advance that they would support the motion put forward by the CDU and CSU, with individual voting records to be published on the Bundestag’s website later in the day.
The parliament is now officially calling on the federal government to implement five measures on the topic of migration without delay. These include the establishment of permanent border controls, the rejection of all attempts at illegal entry, the detention of individuals required to leave the country, increased support for the states in enforcing the requirement to leave and a tightening of the right of residence for criminal offenders and those deemed a threat.
The debate preceding the vote was intense, with the Chancellor delivering a government statement. The Union accepted the risk of only securing a majority with the support of the AfD, with CDU leader Friedrich Merz acknowledging in his Bundestag speech that, in the face of cases like the Aschaffenburg murder, it could no longer be delayed.
Following the announcement of the result, there was jubilation and hugging in the AfD faction. The SPD’s faction leader, Rolf Mützenich, requested a break in the session, arguing that, after this vote, it was no longer possible to proceed with the day’s agenda. The Union, he said, had “strayed from the political center.” The Greens’ Britta Haßelmann made a similar argument. CDU leader Friedrich Merz appealed to the SPD and Greens, urging them to support the Union on Friday in the vote on the “Zustrombegrenzungsgesetz” warning that, otherwise, a repeat of the voting behavior of the previous day was to be expected.