Damien McGuinness

Yeah, that's right, because over the last few months there have been a number of attacks involving asylum seekers, and most notably in January in the Bavarian town of Aschaffenburg, where a kindergarten child was stabbed and a passerby also was killed by an asylum seeker, and that sparked a huge debate around migration connected to criminality.

Yeah, that's right, because over the last few months there have been a number of attacks involving asylum seekers, and most notably in January in the Bavarian town of Aschaffenburg, where a kindergarten child was stabbed and a passerby also was killed by an asylum seeker, and that sparked a huge debate around migration connected to criminality.

Yeah, that's right, because over the last few months there have been a number of attacks involving asylum seekers, and most notably in January in the Bavarian town of Aschaffenburg, where a kindergarten child was stabbed and a passerby also was killed by an asylum seeker, and that sparked a huge debate around migration connected to criminality.

It hadn't really been the case before then, because I think mainstream parties had tried to calm, You know, this quite controversial debate and the polarised atmosphere around migration.

It hadn't really been the case before then, because I think mainstream parties had tried to calm, You know, this quite controversial debate and the polarised atmosphere around migration.

It hadn't really been the case before then, because I think mainstream parties had tried to calm, You know, this quite controversial debate and the polarised atmosphere around migration.

But after that attack in Aschaffenburg, the conservative leader Friedrich Merz, who wants to be Germany's next chancellor, went very hard line because his argument is he wants to undermine the poll numbers of the far right AFD, which appear to be gaining traction online. on the back of these terrible attacks. And since then, we've seen a ferocious debate around migration.

But after that attack in Aschaffenburg, the conservative leader Friedrich Merz, who wants to be Germany's next chancellor, went very hard line because his argument is he wants to undermine the poll numbers of the far right AFD, which appear to be gaining traction online. on the back of these terrible attacks. And since then, we've seen a ferocious debate around migration.

But after that attack in Aschaffenburg, the conservative leader Friedrich Merz, who wants to be Germany's next chancellor, went very hard line because his argument is he wants to undermine the poll numbers of the far right AFD, which appear to be gaining traction online. on the back of these terrible attacks. And since then, we've seen a ferocious debate around migration.

A lot of people have criticised it, saying it's very one-sided, this idea of connecting migration to criminality. So, obviously, it stigmatises people with a migration background. But either way, it's certainly a big, big debate in the political run-up right now. And the fact that we've now had another terrible incident...

A lot of people have criticised it, saying it's very one-sided, this idea of connecting migration to criminality. So, obviously, it stigmatises people with a migration background. But either way, it's certainly a big, big debate in the political run-up right now. And the fact that we've now had another terrible incident...

A lot of people have criticised it, saying it's very one-sided, this idea of connecting migration to criminality. So, obviously, it stigmatises people with a migration background. But either way, it's certainly a big, big debate in the political run-up right now. And the fact that we've now had another terrible incident...

will certainly play into the debate and could well have an impact in the election results in 10 days' time.

will certainly play into the debate and could well have an impact in the election results in 10 days' time.

will certainly play into the debate and could well have an impact in the election results in 10 days' time.

The reason why Friedrich Merz took this risky decision to put forward such a controversial bill... ...and the risk of possibly the far-right AfD supporting it, which has never happened in modern Germany before... ...is because the AfD are polling at around 20% at the moment. And he argues that in order to take the wind out of their sails... He needs to offer something to AFD voters.

The reason why Friedrich Merz took this risky decision to put forward such a controversial bill... ...and the risk of possibly the far-right AfD supporting it, which has never happened in modern Germany before... ...is because the AfD are polling at around 20% at the moment. And he argues that in order to take the wind out of their sails... He needs to offer something to AFD voters.

So he has gone, as he puts it, all in on migration. And he's proposed some pretty drastic measures. But he feels that if he's this hard line, he can lure back. right-wing voters who are considering voting for the AFD. The difficulty with that is, is that the more you talk about migration, the more this potentially plays into the AFD's hands because that is really their main topic.

So he has gone, as he puts it, all in on migration. And he's proposed some pretty drastic measures. But he feels that if he's this hard line, he can lure back. right-wing voters who are considering voting for the AFD. The difficulty with that is, is that the more you talk about migration, the more this potentially plays into the AFD's hands because that is really their main topic.

That's the danger that Friedrich Merz has undergone, that he has decided since a number of attacks over the past month involving suspects who are asylum seekers, that migration is the top concern of voters. And he has put it at the top of the agenda for his election campaign. And since then, it's all people have been talking about. It's a risky strategy.