Merkel Critiques CDU Leader for Collaborating with Far-Right AfD

BERLIN (Reuters) - Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel criticised the leader of her Christian Democrats (CDU), Friedrich Merz, for drawing on support from the far-right to pass a motion in parliament, in a statement on Thursday.

"I believe it is wrong," Merkel said, referring to the outcome of a vote in parliament on Wednesday when a CDU motion was passed with support from the Alternative for Germany (AfD), among others, breaking a long-held political taboo in Germany.

In a rare intervention into domestic politics, Merkel accused her former rival Merz of going back on a vow he made in November to seek majorities with mainstream parties rather than with the AfD.

The AfD, second in most surveys behind Merz's conservative bloc less than four weeks before a federal election, is being monitored by German security services on suspicion of being right-wing extremist.

Merkel called on "democratic parties" to work together to prevent violent attacks like those recently seen in Magdeburg and Aschaffenburg. Both suspects had previously applied for asylum in Germany, bringing border and asylum policy into sharp focus in the election campaign.

(Writing by Rachel More; Editing by Madeline Chambers)