Chancellor Olaf Scholz's main challenger in Germany's upcoming election plans to put proposals for a tougher migration policy to parliament on Wednesday, a maneuver aimed at piling pressure on the governing parties that has brought accusations that he's breaking commitments to shun the far right.

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.

German conservative leader Friedrich Merz on Wednesday defended his controversial migration reforms after stinging criticism from Chancellor Olaf Scholz, ahead of votes on two motions that could pass with the support of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD).