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Germany’s Friedrich Merz and a bold political gamble

GZERO Media
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Friedrich Merz is the favorite to become Germany ’s next chancellor following a general election on Feb. 23 .

Merz has wrestled with the question of how to peel voter support away from the anti-immigrant AfD.

Migration has been the primary fuel for the AfD 's surge over the past decade as the number of asylum-seekers overwhelmed a German system designed for much smaller numbers of people.

Has Merz changed the political rules on how Europe ’s center-right handles the always emotive topic of immigration? Time will tell. If so, Merz ’s bold political gamble might be remembered as a game-changer well beyond Germany . Like GZERO ’s news and analysis? Be sure to follow us on MSN and subscribe to our daily newsletter..