Friedrich Merz, the front-runner to become Germany’s next chancellor, relied on votes from the far-right AfD to push an anti-migration motion through parliament.

Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel has issued rare public criticism of her successor as the country’s center-right leader, the front-runner in Germany’s election next month, for putting to parliament proposals for tough new migration rules that only passed with the help of a far-right party.

Four weeks before Germany’s snap election, the political temperature is rising as the campaign shifts onto the contentious terrain of migration and Elon Musk steps up his support for the far-right AfD party.