Germany's Social Democrats are doubling down on criticism of conservative opposition leader Friedrich Merz, after a controversial bill on tighter migration policy tabled by his bloc was narrowly rejected in parliament on Friday.

German Parliament on Friday (local time) rejected the immigration bill pushed by opposition’s Freidrich Merz to tighten rules in the existing laws, DW reported. The bill, backed by the Germany’s far-right parties,

After the conservative CDU-CSU bloc joined with the far-right Alternative für Deutschland party to pass a non-binding motion cracking down on immigration on Wednesday, MPs voted 338-350 to reject a bill on the issue.

A dozen lawmakers from Germany's centre-right CDU/CSU bloc did not cast a vote on the controversial bill to tighten migration policy that failed in parliament on Friday despite far-right support. The bill was narrowly defeated in the Bundestag,

German party leaders were engaged in furious last-minute talks on Friday, delaying a high-stakes debate on an immigration bill which the conservative opposition has threatened to pass with the support

The German Bundestag will hold a debate on the "influx limitation law" then vote on it. The law, proposed by the conservative CDU/CSU bloc, could pass in the lower house with the aid of the far-right AfD party.