what would it mean if friedrich merz _ merz. what would it mean if friedrich merz did _ merz.would it mean if frie think that did go do merz. what would it mean if frie think that boat |o do merz. what would it mean if frie think that boat could do merz. what would it mean if - frie think that boat could pass? i you think that boat could pass? to me it seems now that there is not as were is not a majority. as you were already mentioning, the the 777 is pressure on the mps is of course is on enormous. of course it is on issue, but it is general now about the question how to deal with the far right. i don't see a majority on the �*now, but 7 �*now, but i7 7 �*now, buti7 �*if floor now, but i don't know if we will have a today. ie-i 7 possible 7 77 7 po7ssibleright 7 77 7 possible right 7 is77 seems possible right now point that the liberals the point that the liberals could the cdu in two of four them having to ggyjtwo of four them having to with the wflvajjwj. ., !.�*.!!,!.-.,77.!.! 7 with the , ., , work with the afd? the liberals broke i the — work with the afd? the liberals b

friedrich merz merkeland manage. friedrich merz has responded by shifting the party to the right.bout voting for a? by talking tough for the afd, by talking tough on migration. this tactic has worked in parliament and if not worked ianarliameht and if look at it is not you look at polls it is not clear whether it will work at the ballot box either. he has a today eelitieell�*g’e'ttdait'ife , . �* members of conservative conser7vative party did not his conservative party did not the line because it was a vote z— vote and i'm sure we'll named vote and i'm sure we'll get information about that get more information about that because the conservatives are split migration. the split on migration. the former chancellor merkel intervention yesterday an intervention yesterday calling the tactics of merz wrong which is unusual. and i think what very unusual. and i think what we're is the ase'fe seeing is the trying ase'fe eee'rhg ie the trying decide conservatives trying to decide which way they're to go 272222; theele7ction7 7 7 7 in the election campaign because we have an election in th

f calling friedrich merz�*s tactics wrong, which is very =— f ithink unusual.o play forget "*"*"'*" eserything to play forgo. " in parliament. dramatic day in parliament. it's going to be really to get the readout interesting to get the readout of has voted and how they of who has voted and how they voted in where support for friedrich merz has fallen ?7 e? :7up x: ngfvery up very the f whatf f whatho you election, what do you think, result does to his this result does to his ambitions to be the next chancellor? he ambitions to be the next chancellor?— ambitions to be the next chancellor? he is still way in the chancellor? he is still way - in the polls. - chancellor? he is still way - in the polls. his - chancellor? he is still way l - in the polls. his party ahead in the polls. his party is traditionally the largest has f f has there f has there for f has there for afthile. around 30%.f7 it's pulling around 30%. the difficulty is who he is it's pulling around 30%. th

thousands have been protesting after friedrich merz who leads deutschland.e a serious taboo in germany. now today he's set to table new migratien legislatien; if that passes with support from the afd, a furious row translation: we have had immigration for - almost exclusively goes into the social security systems. correspondent damian mcguiness. good to - you. tell us more good to you. tell us more about this goodto aboutthi ., ., , about this move, and white is so controversial. _ about this move, and white is so controversial. -- - about this move, and white is so controversial. -- why - about this move, and white is so controversial. -- why it. so controversial. -- why it is so controversial. -- why it is so controversial. _ so controversial. -- why it is so controversial. it - so controversial. -- why it is so controversial. it is - so controversial. it is because of the collaboration, almost, as critics would describe it of the conservatives with the far a fd party. we saw the f’ jififizhf a see; erglymg conservative government retying votes from the far

chancellor candidate friedrich merz. the cdu says it intends to submit a bill which includes permanent border controls and accelerated deportations, for a vote in the bundestag, and that it would welcome votes from all parties, including the afd. critics say that would throw the so-called firewall between germany's mainstream parties and the afd into doubt. the cdu's call for an immigration overhaul dominated talks at the greens party conference over the weekend, as well their chancellor candidate, robert habeck, said merz's proposal showed the cdu was more interested in aligning with the far right than the center, and urged him to roll back the proposals. annett, of course, has been tracking all of the twists and turns in german politics and i would like to understand here is that comment around a potential move to the to the right, to the extreme right from the cdu ultimately, is there a sense here that actually the next german coalition could actually be supported by the afd, given that they now seem to be aligned on

thousands have been protesting after friedrich merz who leads deutschland. needed. 100 years and more. but we have to make sure that immigration to this country almost exclusively goes into the social security systems. in a rare intervention, the former cdu chancellor angela merkel said in a statement, "i think "it is wrong to no longer feel bound by this proposal our berlin correspondent damian mcguiness spoke to me earlier with the latest. it has been described as a historic moment in german as critics would describe it of the conservatives with the far right afd party. the conservative government relying majority of parliament wants. but relying on the afd is seen as a taboo that of power, which goes back to germany's history, and its the former chancellor, angela merkel, who was the leader of what we are seeing really is a huge row over this, and that row will only get bigger today. parliamentary motion. again the conservatives could want or look for together with the afd, lead the next government in just 3.5 weeks' time. in parliament and we expect fier

critics of friedrich merz of the conservative cdu, once led by angela merkel, have staged protests outsideave had immigration for - germany is a country of immigration, and we will remain a country of immigration. but we have to make sure that immigration to this country takes place in the labour market, takes place in society, can be integrated and does not become an immigration that just explain why this is so controversial a move. as you are mentioning, there is this post—war consensus in germany that a party work therfar right, 7 don't with the far right; they dept , ~ with the far right; they dept f ~ with the far right; they dept f ~ with the far right or cooperate with the far right or go into collision with them or past things, whether as leeeee eeet. {e'eee fiffieffief ee ' or leeeee eeet. ee'eee fieeeeef ee 7 or motions, with legislation or motions, with votes from the far right. the to be, as ou are mentioning, has already the so—called firewall breached the so—called firewall whee wednesday he pushed non—binding through this non—binding why this is collating motion. why this is col

rejected legislation to tighten immigration policies, by the main opposition conservatives of friedrich merzthe bundestag failed, over three weeks' time. we can speak to dr sarah wagner, a lecturer at queen's university belfast, who focuses on german politics. welcome to the programme. this legislation was defeated, but welcome to the programme. this l( was tion was defeated, but welcome to the programme. this l( was not was defeated, but welcome to the programme. this l( was not overwhelmingly)ut it was: not overwhelmingly was it? defeated, was it? no, absolutely _ defeated, was it? no, absolutely not. - defeated, was it? no, absolutely not. what l defeated, was it? no, | absolutely not. what is defeated, was it? no, - absolutely not. what is may defeated, was it? iirr, absolutely not. what is may be important to note is what igrpppg'gaynt to note is that what on wednesday and what happened on wednesday and what todayis happened on wednesday and what today is historic and remarkable in germany. pretty remarkable in germany. 0n the vote that out was out wafszthe very first carried out was th

hard line immigration bill which caused a stir not just because of its tough stance but because friedrich merzthe favorite to become the next german chancellor, is relying on support from the far right to get it through. he faced fierce backlash including accusations he breached a firewall aimed at keeping the far right afd from power. oliver crook joins us from berlin. explain the controversy. >> this is a really significant development in the political race, since basically the government fell earlier in the winter, in the fall. frankly, this is the most significant thing that happened in the race. how it plays out will be interesting. this is significant not just because of the content of the bill, because the bill itself, particularly given the context of immigration how important it is in germany, across europe, how important it has been across the united states, is not that radical. he is calling for more permanent border checks. the cdu is bringing this to vote at 10:30, we should get the result by noon, accelerated deportation for illegal immigration and heightened security measures, e

chancellor olaf scholz accused conservative leader friedrich merz of resorting to populism.ding the polls ahead of afd and scholz's social democrats. renault wants a premium for its stake in nissan if honda takes over its japanese car making rival. presented it's for the french carmaker flew to japan earlier this week to voice concerns over how that tie up may be structured. honda and nissan announced a merger late last year aimed at helping them compete in a global car industry. bbva posted fourth-quarter profit that was well above expectations great spain's second largest lender announced a share buyback worth one billion euros. the bank promised to pay out 50% of its profit to shareholders. caixabank reported net income for the fourth quarter that beat estimates very the spanish lender will also launch a share buyback program for as much as 500 million euros. at the opening trade we will speak with the caixabank ceo at seven 20 a.m. u.k. time follow by the bbva chair at 7:30 a.m. a deep dive in terms of the spanish banking space given the beats that came through for the e

of germany 5 three—party coalition, and the likely victory in february of conservative leader friedrich merz. today in an interview with a the would—be chancellor said the eu should make a fresh attempt at a sweeping free trade deal with the us once donald trump becomes president. you don't have to be the former of the treasury to know that they have said that it would mean losses of to 180 billion euros for the german economy over a second four—year term if these tariffs came in. free trade would be disillusioned and would donald trump volunteer? i and would donald trump volunteer?— volunteer? i think it is interesting _ volunteer? ithink it is interesting that - volunteer? ithink it is interesting that the i volunteer? i think it is - interesting that the headwinds on the — interesting that the headwinds on the german economy are huge notiust_ on the german economy are huge notjust from the on the german economy are huge not just from the terrace but also — not just from the terrace but also looking at the chinese economy and other major trading partners — economy and other major trading p