German Chancellor Accuses Far-Right AfD of Seeking 'Ethnic Cleansing'

Germany's chancellor, Friedrich Merz, has accused the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party of pursuing what he called "ethnic cleansing" through its "remigration" agenda, following the party's strong showing in a weekend state election in Saxony-Anhalt.

According to The Guardian, Merz made the comments during a heated parliamentary debate, marking the first public confrontation between him and the AfD since Sunday's election result. The AfD won nearly 44% of the vote in Saxony-Anhalt, a result described by the newspaper as a "seismic" victory for the nativist party.

Merz reportedly told parliament that the AfD's campaign of mass deportations would undermine one of the pillars of the German economy, characterizing the party's platform as racist in nature. He also said the AfD was "dividing our society," according to the report.

The AfD's remigration policy, which has drawn scrutiny from mainstream German political parties, calls for the large-scale deportation of migrants and, according to critics cited in the report, extends to people with migrant backgrounds regardless of citizenship status.

The Saxony-Anhalt election result has intensified debate in Germany over the rise of the AfD, which has gained ground in several eastern German states in recent years. The confrontation in parliament reflects growing tension between Merz's government and the far-right party following the state-level vote.

The Guardian noted that the exchange took place amid a broader national reckoning over the AfD's growing electoral strength and its implications for German politics.