Top Issues in Germany’s Election Campaign

AFP/APP

Berlin: From immigration and Germany’s struggling economy to cannabis legalization and gender politics, key issues are shaping voters’ concerns ahead of Sunday’s election.

Immigration

Amid a series of deadly attacks linked to asylum seekers, conservative poll frontrunner Friedrich Merz has proposed a tougher stance on irregular immigration.

Breaking from former CDU chancellor Angela Merkel’s centrist approach, Merz wants all undocumented foreigners, including asylum seekers, turned away at the border.

He also seeks to tighten family reunification laws and make German citizenship harder to obtain.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz has accused Merz of trying to “bury Europe” with his proposals.

However, Scholz’s SPD also supports stricter border controls and faster deportations, but in a way he describes as more “humane and consistent.”

The far-right AfD has called for a “bulwark” against illegal migration, promising 24/7 border surveillance and cuts to asylum seekers’ benefits.

Ukraine War

Three years into Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Germany remains Kyiv’s second-largest military supporter after the United States.

Despite US President Donald Trump’s controversial remarks on NATO, Germany’s mainstream parties remain committed to Ukraine.

However, Scholz and Merz disagree on weapons supplies:

• Merz wants to send Taurus missiles capable of striking deep into Russian territory.
• Scholz warns this could be like playing “Russian roulette.”
• The AfD, far-left Die Linke, and BSW oppose all arms deliveries to Ukraine.
• The SPD, CDU/CSU, and Greens support raising military spending above NATO’s 2% GDP target.

Fiscal Policy

Germany’s recession has sparked debate over how to fund infrastructure, defense, and the green energy transition.

The SPD and Greens propose lifting the “debt brake”—a constitutional cap limiting annual deficits to 0.35% of GDP.

The conservatives show some openness but prioritize corporate tax cuts and reducing jobless benefits for those who refuse work.

• Merz, who once said a tax return should fit on a beer coaster, vows to cut bureaucracy and red tape.
• Scholz’s proposals include:
• Income tax cuts for 95% of households
• Reintroducing a wealth tax
• Raising inheritance taxes

Energy and Climate

Germany’s energy transition, including reducing reliance on Russian gas, shutting nuclear plants, and phasing out coal, remains controversial.

The CDU/CSU wants to:

• Reverse the planned 2035 EU ban on combustion-engine cars to support Germany’s auto industry.
• Reconsider nuclear power as an energy source.
• Rollback a Green Party law promoting renewable heating systems.
• The Greens promise a climate allowance to help offset rising energy costs.
• The AfD denies climate change, with leader Alice Weidel calling wind turbines “windmills of shame.”

Culture Wars

• The CDU/CSU and AfD pledge to reverse progressive policies introduced under Scholz’s coalition.

Cannabis Legalization:

• The CDU/CSU argues it has led to “violent gang warfare.”
• Advocates claim it reduces black market activity.

Gender Laws:

• The CDU/CSU and AfD want to undo reforms that make changing one’s legal gender easier.
• They denounce “woke culture” and oppose gender inclusivity measures.