AfD gains put pressure on German Chancellor Merz

BERLIN, Germany: German Chancellor Friedrich Merz accused the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) on September 9 of supporting ethnic cleansing, as its immigration policies called for mass removals of migrants. He also said AfD supported Russia in ways that went against Germany's interests. Merz made the comments in Germany's parliament after the AfD scored a major victory in a regional election in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt. The party won its strongest result in the state on September 6 after campaigning heavily against immigration. The result has increased pressure on Merz and his center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU). The CDU lost about half of its previous support in Saxony-Anhalt, while the AfD made major gains by attracting voters unhappy with the national government. Merz rejected the idea that the AfD could eventually take control of Germany. He also criticized the party's position on Russia's war against Ukraine and its approach to immigration. The AfD did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The party has previously rejected claims that it is extremist, arguing that such accusations are designed to frighten voters and discredit the people who support it. Merz focused particularly on the AfD's use of the term remigration, which refers to the return or removal of migrants from Germany. He argued that the policy would have serious consequences for people with migrant backgrounds who are already part of German society. "People with a migration background also work in the skilled trades," Merz said. "If what is being advocated here, namely 'remigration', were to become reality, it would be nothing other than a synonym for ethnic cleansing based on origin and skin color." Merz also accused the AfD of taking a position on Russia that was not in Germany's national interest. He used the parliamentary debate to argue that the party's policies on Ukraine and migration made it unsuitable to lead the country. The confrontation came during the annual debate over Germany's national budget, with AfD co-leader Alice Weidel using the session to attack Merz over the election result. Weidel told Merz as she opened the annual budget debate in parliament, "You haven't understood the message that voters in Saxony-Anhalt sent you on Sunday. But that isn't relevant because your time has run out anyway. Citizens want a change of policy, and they will get it." The political battle is expected to continue quickly, with two more state elections scheduled for September 20. Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania will both vote, with the AfD particularly strong in parts of eastern Germany.