Center-right and center-left chancellor candidates clashed in a fiery debate, exposing deep divisions just weeks ahead of a national election.

BERLIN (Reuters) -German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and his likely successor, Friedrich Merz, promised no collaboration with the extreme right on Tuesday in speeches to parliament before national elections on February 23.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has sharply rejected comments made by US Vice President JD Vance in support of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) and insisted there should be no outside interference in the German election campaign.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz used his likely final statement in parliament before the election to intensify his attacks on Friedrich Merz, accusing the conservative frontrunner of dividing Europe for political gain and saying his “fickleness and bluster” make him unsuitable to run the country.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz insists he would 'never' cooperate with the far right in the way he says his rival Friedrich Merz has done. Meanwhile, Merz said working with the AfD was out of the question.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and his conservative rival Friedrich Merz exchanged blows on Tuesday as lawmakers convened for a fiery final parliamentary session before national elections on February 23.