Germany polls: US tensions plague final week of campaign

Germany entered the final week of election campaigning on Monday, with the debate more heated than ever amid controversy over alleged US interference in favour of the far right.

- Agence France-Presse

BERLIN:

After weeks of sparring on migration and a surge of support for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), the race took a new turn last week with comments by US Vice President JD Vance.

Speaking in Munich on Friday, Vance called on Germany to drop its decades-long taboo of having the far right in government, insisting there was "no room for firewalls".

His comments brought tens of thousands of demonstrators to the streets of Berlin on Sunday and became one of the main talking points in the latest TV debate between top candidates.

"I will not allow an American vice president to tell me who I can talk to here in Germany," said Friedrich Merz, whose party is currently leading the polls on around 30%.