The German parliament is debating motions to tighten migration rules after a deadly attack by a rejected asylum seeker. CDU leader Friedrich Merz says he will not shun the help of the far-right AfD to push them through.

Friedrich Merz, the frontrunner to become chancellor in February's election, is making waves by agreeing to work with the far-right AfD on immigration rules.

Germany's opposition conservatives won parliamentary approval on Wednesday for a proposal to drastically restrict migration with the help of votes from the Alternative for Germany (AfD), breaking a taboo on cooperation with the far-right.

German lawmakers are set to vote on Wednesday on two motions tabled by the centre-right opposition bloc to significantly tighten the country's migration policy, less than four weeks before Germans head to the polls in national elections.