BERLIN (AP) — Germany’s parliament is expected to vote Friday on an opposition bill calling for tougher rules on migration that could become the first legislation to pass thanks to a far-right party — adding to a controversy about the attitude of the front-runner in Germany’s upcoming election toward the far right.

When the CDU motions passed on Wednesday evening, by four votes, an eerie silence hung for a moment over the Bundestag chamber. Then AfD parliamentarians began applauding what they see as the first chink of light in the CDU’s so-called “firewall” against political co-operation with them.

Germany's parliament narrowly passed a resolution Wednesday urging tough restrictions on immigration that was especially controversial because it was backed by the far-right AfD

Conservatives have cooperated with the far-right AfD for the first time, amid growing support from the tech billionaire.

Germany’s parliament has narrowly approved a call by Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s main challenger to turn back many more migrants at the country’s borders, with the help of a far-right party.

Friedrich Merz, the front-runner to become Germany’s next chancellor, relied on votes from the far-right AfD to push an anti-migration motion through parliament.

Without the migration policies since 2015, the AfD wouldn’t be anywhere near this strong,” says Vienna’s former conservative chancellor.

German opposition leader and Christian Union parties floor leader Friedrich Merz speaks after the debate and a voting about migration at the German parliament Bundestag in Berlin, Germany, Wednesday,

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.

Alternative for Germany helped push an immigration restriction proposal over the threshold, breaking the "firewall" surrounding the right-wing party.

Christoph Rauwald, Michael Nienaber und Arne Delfs über das Wahlkampfthema Nr. 1 — Abonnieren Sie auch unseren Newsletter Fünf Themen des Tages und erhalten Sie samstags das Hauptstadtgeflüster direkt in Ihre Mailbox.

The vote, expected on Friday, adds to a controversy about the attitude of the front-runner in Germany’s upcoming election towards the far-right.