The aftermath of Munich's terror attack and Vance's controversial Security Conference speech merged into a day of political confrontation. Early reporting focused on Austrian authorities announcing mass screening of asylum seekers following the Villach IS attack. By afternoon, European leaders processed Vance's meeting with AfD, while the Kremlin praised his "brave" stance.
The evening culminated in RTL's "Quadrell" debate, where Scholz, Merz, Habeck, and Weidel clashed over migration, Ukraine policy, and Trump's influence. Merz explicitly rejected cooperation with AfD and Höcke while showing openness to SPD coalition. Weidel's refusal to distance herself from the "Vogelschiss" comment and her pro-Putin stance drew sharp criticism from other candidates. The debate revealed unexpected alignment between Merz and Scholz on several issues, including development of Tempelhof Field against public referendum.