Merz attacks AfD in stormy debate after far-right election win

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has clashed with AfD leader Alice Weidel in parliament over the party s migration policy, which he labelled as a destructive force with a policy of ethnic cleansing for skilled workers.

• AfD won almost 44% of the vote in Saxony-Anhalt state election.
• Merz s conservatives saw their vote halved in the election.
• AfD has promised a deportation and remigration offensive targeting irregular migrants.

Stormy Debate in Parliament

Merz and Weidel faced off in parliament for the first time since Sunday s AfD election victory. The debate was marked by repeated heckling from AfD MPs, with Bundestag President Julia Klöckner threatening to expel people from the chamber at one point.

Migration Policy Dispute

Merz said that one in six skilled workers had a migration background, and that AfD s policy would amount to nothing other than a synonym for ethnic cleansing in the skilled trades based on skin colour and origin. Weidel countered that mass migration had left Germans with daily knife violence and attacks on trains and in stations.

US President Trump s Praise for AfD

US President Donald Trump praised the AfD s victory, saying that the Populist Party in Germany just had a really big night and linking the victory to absolutely horrible immigration rules and regulations.

Coalition Government Uncertainty

It is not yet clear whether the AfD will be able to form a government in Saxony-Anhalt, having fallen three seats short of an outright majority. Merz has admitted that the seismic result has changed Germany.

Conclusion

The AfD s election victory has sparked a heated debate in Germany, with Chancellor Merz and AfD leader Weidel clashing in parliament over migration policy and the party s future prospects.

FAQs

Q1: What was the result of the AfD in the Saxony-Anhalt state election?
A1: The AfD won almost 44% of the vote in the election, while Merz s conservatives saw their vote halved.

Q2: What is the AfD s migration policy?
A2: The AfD has promised a deportation and remigration offensive targeting irregular migrants, which Merz labelled as a policy of ethnic cleansing for skilled workers.

Q3: Who praised the AfD s election victory?
A3: US President Donald Trump praised the AfD s victory, saying that the Populist Party in Germany just had a really big night and linking the victory to absolutely horrible immigration rules and regulations.

Q4: Will the AfD be able to form a government in Saxony-Anhalt?
A4: It is not yet clear whether the AfD will be able to form a government in Saxony-Anhalt, having fallen three seats short of an outright majority.

Q5: How has the AfD s election victory affected German politics?
A5: The AfD s election victory has sparked a heated debate in Germany, with Chancellor Merz and AfD leader Weidel clashing in parliament over migration policy and the party s future prospects.

Q6: What is the significance of the AfD s election victory?
A6: The AfD s election victory is significant as it is the first time a far-right party has won power in any of Germany s 16 states since World War Two.