German Chancellor Olaf Scholz adopted a tougher stance on migration following a fatal knife attack in southern Germany allegedly committed by a 28-year-old Afghan asylum seeker.

The attack killed two people, including a two-year-old boy, and heightened migration as a key issue ahead of the February 23 election.

Scholz criticized “misguided tolerance” and called for an investigation into why the suspect, who had applied for asylum and shown signs of mental illness, remained in Germany despite declaring plans to leave in late 2024.

Opposition parties, including the far-right AfD and conservative CDU, intensified criticism of Scholz’s migration policies, linking migration to crime, Politico has reported.

The suspect’s actions are believed to be influenced by mental illness, with no evidence of political motives.

Written by B.C. Begley