BERLIN: Germany`s parliament narrowly passed a resolution on Wednesday urging tough restrictions on immigration that was especially controversial because it was backed by the far-right Alternative for Germany party (Af D).

The motion was brought, ahead of Feb 23 elections, by the conservative opposition CDU-CSU and backed by, among others, the AfD party. That broke a long-standing taboo on cooperation with the anti-immigration party.

Legislators passed it with 348 votes in favour and 345 against, with 10 abstentions.

The vote came days after a knife attack that killed two people, including a two-year-old child, with an Afghan man arrested at the scene.

The resolution lacks the force of law, but calls on the government to launch permanent border controls and for the `rejection of all attempts to enter the country illegally without exception`.

It says this should include those seeking protection because in the neighbouring EU countries they arrive from, `they are already safe from persecution`.

The resolution also argues that people required to leave Germany `must be taken into custody immediately`, adding that more detention centres should be built, including in empty army barracks.

It labelled as `clearly dysfunctional` the existing European regulations on migrants and asylum seekers.

The motion also criticised the AfD, which it accused of `using the problems, worries and fears caused by mass illegal migration to stir up xenophobia and spread conspiracy theories`.

Despite this clause, the AfD voted in support of the resolution, along with the FDP, helping it to pass despite the strong opposition of Chancellor Olaf Scholz`s Social Democrats and the Greens.-AFP