Welcome to the Brussels Edition, Bloomberg’s daily briefing on what matters most in the heart of the European Union.

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.

Election front-runner Friedrich Merz wants stricter migration policies following a deadly stabbing in Aschaffenburg. Some in Germany are surprised at how willing he seems to be to cooperate with the far-right AfD.

Germany’s conservative candidate, Friedrich Merz, suggested he’d push through tougher migration measures even with AfD support.

Tens of thousands of Germans have protested in Berlin and other cities against the rise of the far-right, anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany party ahead of the Feb. 23 election

German opposition leader Friedrich Merz, tipped to become the next chancellor, said on Thursday he wanted to win back the lost trust of key allies and ensure Berlin is more assertive on the global stage in a speech laying out his foreign policy plans.

Friedrich Merz, the leading candidate for the chancellery in Germany's upcoming election, said a leaked briefing by Germany's ambassador to the United States heavily criticising Donald Trump was damaging to the German government's reputation.

The conservative leader wants to impose strict border controls after knife killings in Aschaffenburg this week.

BERLIN (AP) — Thousands of Germans on Saturday protested in Berlin and other cities against the rise of the far-right and anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) party ahead of a Feb. 23 general election.

Germany’s opposition leader has vowed to bar people from entering the country without proper papers and to step up deportations if he is elected as chancellor next month.

Friedrich Merz, the leader of the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU), announced the shocking move which will bring about a parliamentary vote to 'end illegal immigration'