Rob Schmitz
Appearances
NPR News Now
NPR News: 11-07-2024 4PM EST
The suspect, an American man whom prosecutors have identified simply as Martin D., keeping the German tradition of withholding a suspect's surname, had worked for the U.S. military in Germany up until recently. Prosecutors say that earlier this year he contacted Chinese officials and offered to give them sensitive information belonging to the U.S. military.
NPR News Now
NPR News: 11-07-2024 4PM EST
An investigation into the suspect's activities was conducted in close coordination with Germany's domestic intelligence agency, and the man was arrested in the city of Frankfurt while authorities searched his apartment. Rob Schmitz, NPR News, Berlin.
NPR News Now
NPR News: 01-31-2025 3PM EST
Friedrich Merz, the leader of the center-right Christian Democratic Union Party, is cooperating with the Alternative for Germany Party, or AFD, on a parliamentary motion to restrict immigration into the country. The move is being criticized because the AFD is considered to be an extremist party that is under domestic surveillance for the threat it poses to Germany's democracy.
NPR News Now
NPR News: 01-31-2025 3PM EST
When the AFD first gained popularity a decade ago, Merz's party and Germany's other mainstream parties made a pact to never cooperate with the AFD. Merz insists he wouldn't govern with the AFD, but his move to cooperate legislatively with the party has attracted criticism from Chancellor Olaf Scholz and former Chancellor Angela Merkel. Rob Schmitz, NPR News, Berlin.
Up First from NPR
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So this all started with a parliamentary motion to restrict immigration from Friedrich Merz. He's the head of the Christian Democratic Union, a center-right party that's ahead in the polls and will likely win the most votes in Germany's election next month. And that means Merz will likely be Germany's next chancellor.
Up First from NPR
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Well, he brought forth a motion to further restrict immigration to Germany, and this comes on the heels of recent deadly attacks committed by migrants. Now, on the face of it, there was nothing off about Merz's motion in Parliament about this, but it was how he was going to pass this motion that really upset much of Parliament and many Germans.
Up First from NPR
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Well, none of the mainstream parties were interested in voting with Merz's party on this proposal. But there was one party that was very keen to join him, and that's the AFD, the Alternative for Germany Party, which is considered by Germany's political establishment as an extremist right-wing party. The AFD has advocated deporting all Germans with a migration background.
Up First from NPR
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Some of its members use Nazi slogans. And the party is under domestic surveillance for the threat that it poses to Germany's democracy.
Up First from NPR
Plane Crash Latest, German Far Right, Nuclear Testing
Yeah, that's right. And since World War II, there's been a consensus among Germany's mainstream political parties that extremist parties must never be allowed in government again. And when the AfD first gained popularity a decade ago, Merz's party and Germany's other mainstream parties made a path to never cooperate with the AfD. This was called the firewall.
Up First from NPR
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But now Merz is signaling that he's open to cooperating with the AfD on this immigration motion. And here's how he defended his decision. And he's saying here that the right decision does not become wrong because the wrong people have made it. The decision, he said, is still right.
Up First from NPR
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Lots of anger. As Merz defended himself, a yelling match began in Parliament and Chancellor Olaf Scholz finally took the podium. Here's what he said. Schultz said that three weeks ago, Merz promised never to cooperate with the AFD and voters trusted him. What are these words worth now, he asked.
Up First from NPR
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Former Chancellor Angela Merkel, who's in the same party as Merz, also has criticized him for doing this.
Up First from NPR
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Well, there is an election in a few weeks and it's possible Merz is cooperating with the AFD on immigration because up to now, the AFD has owned this issue and it's led to high poll numbers. They're now in second place and Elon Musk has recently come out to support them.
Up First from NPR
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So the logic goes if Merz's party can steal some of that spotlight, perhaps he can chip into that support and take some of those voters to his party. But many are blaming him for playing a dangerous game with Germany's democracy on this.