The contestants in the elections of Germany made their final appeals to the voters on Saturday, with the leader of the opposition and leader Friedrich Merz promising to revive the stagnant economy and defend the interests of Europe against an American confrontation administration.
Foreign Minister Olaf Scholz, meanwhile, insisted that he is still waiting for an unlikely return of last minute.
The Germans choose a new Parliament on Sunday after a campaign focused on the largest economy in Europe and migration calls, while uncertainty has quickly grown over the future of Ukraine and the strength of the European Alliance with the United States .
It seems to have done little position of the parties in the surveys. They have consistently shown the central-right opposition, the main binding block of the Merz challenger, at the head. It is ahead of the anti -immigration alternative of the extreme right for Germany, which is in progress for the strongest result for an extreme right party since World War II, but has no other part willing to go to the government with it.
The Social Democrats of the center of the left of Scholz have shown few signs to return from a great deficit of the survey after the coalition of three parts of Foreign Minister Collapsara in November after a long -standing argument on how to revitalize the economy. That led to the elections to be held seven months earlier than expected.
Get last minute national news
For the news that affects Canada and worldwide, register to receive news alerts that are given directly when they occur.
In a closing demonstration in a beer hall in Munich, Merz told supporters that “three years of opposition are sufficient.”
Germany is a traditional EU leader of 27 nations and the most populous member of the block, but like his heavyweight partner, France has been consumed in recent months by internal instability. Merz said that “with me, Germany will have a strong voice in the European Union again.”
“Europe must be a player and not ask to get a seat at an auxiliary table,” he said. “No, we must sit at the main table; And we must safeguard our interests against Russia, against China and, if necessary, also with respect to the United States. “
“Anyone who comes there as dwarf is treated as a dwarf and sent home like a dwarf,” Merz added.
He said, however, that “we will only gain respect in this European Union again if … finally we exceed the economic weakness of our country.” He said that was “overwhelmingly home.”
Merz also underlined his calls to a tougher posture about migration, which created friction in recent weeks. Last month, he brought a non -binding motion that requested that many more migrants were rejected at Germany's borders to Parliament. The motion was approved thanks to Alternative's votes for Germany, or AFD, the first in the post -war Germany that led the opponents to accuse Merz to break a taboo. He rejects criticism.
“In any circumstance we will not discuss any conversation, no matter negotiations or a participation in the government, with AFD,” said Merz on Saturday.
In an event in Potsdam, which represents in Parliament, Scholz again threw doubts about Merz's reliability and portrayed his party as the strongest bastion against AFD that plays any role.
“Anyone who wants to ensure that this does not happen must ensure that there are social democrats and that he can provide the next chancellor,” said Merz.
Apart from a previous event in Potsdam, Scholz said he was “convinced that, this time, many people will only make their decision at the voting station.”
“I don't believe in miracles, but in an electoral victory,” he said, the German news agency DPA reported.
If Merz wins, it is not clear if you can put together a coalition of two parts or need a third partner, a more uncomfortable perspective.
“If we govern, we need few partners and not an endless number of them,” said senior conservative ally Markus Söder in Munich.
& Copy 2025 the Canadian press