In an unusual move, Union’s chancellor candidate Friedrich Merz has urged citizens not to vote for the Free Democratic Party (FDP) in the upcoming federal election. “Four percent is four percent too much for the FDP and four percent too little for the Union” Merz told the Funke Media Group and the French newspaper Ouest France. “Voters must consider whether their votes for the FDP might ultimately be lost votes.”
Merz expressed concern about the FDP’s recent split in the Bundestag during the vote on the asylum law, stating, “This could have an impact on the elections.” He also reacted cautiously to the FDP’s recent proposal to link the asylum law with the European Asylum Reform and bring it to a vote before the election. “Our asylum law was rejected last week, so the FDP’s proposal is primarily targeting the SPD and the Greens. The remaining government parties must now respond to this” Merz said.
The Union will not reject “reasonable proposals” Merz emphasized, but it is important to remember that the European Asylum Reform will not be fully implemented until mid-2026 and even then, it will not lead to substantial changes in the short term. When asked if he would abandon national measures if a European asylum system functioned, Merz replied, “I would always give Europe the preference, but Europe must deliver.” In recent years, Europe has negotiated a great deal but achieved little, he noted and the majority of European states are waiting for Berlin to change its migration policy course to make progress possible.