Friedrich Merz, CDU's chancellor candidate, faced heated protests during his visit to Cologne and Bonn.

At the Cologne University Clinic, where Merz marked World Cancer Day, hundreds of demonstrators blocked exits, holding signs like "No Heart for Merz.

" Police intervened to clear a path for his departure.

Later in Bonn, up to 1,500 protesters gathered, with some removed for shouting anti-CDU slogans.

The protests follow Merz's controversial reliance on AfD votes for his migration policy plan, sparking nationwide demonstrations against right-wing extremism.

Despite the unrest, Merz praised Cologne's cancer research and called for reforms in Germany's genetic engineering laws and data usage policies.