German Chancellor Friedrich Merz accused the far-right Alternative for Germany party of hiding a plan for ethnic cleansing behind its remigration policy during a parliamentary debate in Berlin on Wednesday. The fierce confrontation in the Bundestag was the first public parliamentary clash between the chancellor and the opposition party following a major regional election in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt.
The election result in Saxony-Anhalt sent shockwaves through German politics after Alternative for Germany, known as AfD, secured nearly 44 percent of the vote. The result gave the party 39 of the 83 seats in the regional parliament, leaving it just three seats short of an absolute majority.
Speaking directly to AfD lawmakers who repeatedly interrupted his speech, Merz argued that the concept of remigration pushed by the far right is not a routine call for stricter border controls. Merz stated that the term is nothing more than a synonym for ethnic cleansing based on origin and skin color, a statement that drew loud applause from members of rival parliamentary groups across the chamber.
The term remigration has been widely used by far-right political figures across Europe to describe plans for mass deportations and forced removals of foreign-born residents and citizens of foreign descent. The Bundestag, located in the historic Reichstag building in Berlin, serves as Germany's federal parliament where chancellors traditionally face questioning from opposing party leaders.
Impact on the German economy
During his address, the chancellor directly linked Germany's immigration policy to the stability of the national economy. Merz told parliament that millions of workers with a migrant background are now an integral part of German society and that any attempt to remove them en masse would inflict severe damage on critical industries.
Without foreign-born workers and staff of migrant origin, Merz stated, it would be impossible for essential facilities to operate normally. He highlighted hospitals, elderly care homes, restaurants, and technical professions as key sectors that would face immediate collapse without their foreign workforce.
Merz accused the AfD of threatening one of the fundamental pillars of German economic prosperity while driving social polarization across the country. Germany, Europe's largest economy, faces widespread labor shortages across healthcare, manufacturing, and service industries, making migrant labor essential to maintaining basic public services and commercial enterprise.
Government stance on deportation
Despite his harsh criticism of the AfD, Merz acknowledged that Germany continues to face significant challenges regarding its migration policy. The chancellor admitted that individuals currently reside in the country without a legal right to permanent stay and confirmed that his administration is pursuing an increase in deportations for those who are not entitled to remain.
However, Merz drew a firm distinction between his government's enforcement measures and the platform of the AfD. He explained that the federal government separates individuals who work, contribute to the economy, and possess a legal right to stay from those who lack legal status under German immigration law.
The sharp exchange carries heightened political significance because Merz has adopted a noticeably firmer stance on immigration in recent months. As leader of the center-right Christian Democratic Union, or CDU, Merz has attempted to stem the drift of conservative voters toward the AfD by proposing tighter asylum controls and stricter border management.
Foreign intervention and cancelled call
The political fallout from the Saxony-Anhalt election extended beyond Germany's borders after former US President Donald Trump publicly celebrated the AfD's performance. In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump called the election result a truly great night for the party and attributed the vote to public anger over German migration policy.
Trump's public endorsement prompted an immediate reaction from the government in Berlin. Merz responded by cancelling a scheduled telephone call with Trump, demonstrating his dissatisfaction with external commentary on domestic political affairs.
A spokesperson for the chancellor reminded reporters that Merz generally opposes foreign leaders intervening in German domestic politics, particularly regarding democratic elections. Trump launched Truth Social in 2022, and his comments represent a rare direct intervention by a prominent US political figure into German state elections.
Opposition reaction and polling pressure
AfD co-leader Alice Weidel launched a fierce counterattack against the chancellor in the Bundestag, framing the election outcome in Saxony-Anhalt as a personal defeat for Merz. Weidel claimed that the chancellor's party, the CDU, was pulverized at the ballot box and described the regional vote as a clear referendum on Merz's leadership.
Addressing the chancellor directly, Weidel declared that his time was up and argued that voters were demanding an immediate shift in policy direction. She reiterated her party's long-term ambition to enter federal government and secure ministerial posts in Berlin.
Merz rejected Weidel's characterization of the election, pointing out that 56 percent of voters in Saxony-Anhalt chose parties other than the AfD. He reiterated that no mainstream political party would form a coalition or cooperate with her organization, telling Weidel that the AfD would never achieve a majority anywhere in Germany and labelling the party a destructive force.
Dispute over Russia and security
The parliamentary clash also broadened into foreign policy debates, with Merz criticizing the AfD over its friendly stance toward Russia and its continued opposition to German military assistance for Ukraine. He accused the party of undermining national security interests during an ongoing European security crisis.
Merz specifically referenced a recent failed drone attack targeted at Leipzig Airport, an incident that German intelligence and government officials in Berlin attributed to Russian actors. The chancellor accused the AfD of maintaining complete silence over a hostile operation that German authorities determined had been planned for months against German infrastructure.
The confrontation highlights the severe political pressure facing Germany's governing coalition as the AfD continues to poll between 28 percent and 29 percent nationwide. With Merz's coalition suffering from public dissatisfaction, upcoming regional elections across federal states are set to play a decisive role in shaping the country's political trajectory.
