A non-binding motion to restrict immigration has sparked outrage after citizens said the conservative CDU/CSU broke a promise not to work with the far-right AfD. Protesters in Berlin gathered outside CDU headquarters.

Tens of thousands of people took to the streets in cities across Germany on Thursday after a controversial motion demanding migration reforms was passed in parliament the previous day with support from the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD).

Thousands of people gathered in front of the headquarters of Germany's Christian Democrats (CDU) in Berlin on Thursday evening after it relied on the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) to pass a divisive motion in parliament the day before.

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.

With less than four weeks before Germany’s federal election, Chancellor Olaf Scholz and his conservative challenger Friedrich Merz, who is leading polls, will take their contentious battle over how to crack down on illegal migration to parliament.