Merz condemns AfD's migration stance as 'ethnic cleansing' in heated debate

Chancellor Friedrich Merz launched a scathing attack on the AfD during a contentious parliamentary exchange, directly challenging the far-right party's migration platform. Merz characterized the AfD's proposed policies as amounting to "ethnic cleansing," arguing that their approach to skilled worker immigration would undermine Germany's economic competitiveness and social fabric.

The confrontation reflects deepening tensions within German politics following the AfD's recent electoral gains. The party has positioned itself as a hardline voice on immigration, a stance that resonates with significant portions of the German electorate but has drawn widespread criticism from mainstream political parties across the spectrum.

Weidel has defended the AfD's migration policies as necessary to protect German interests, though Merz's characterization suggests the government views the proposals as fundamentally discriminatory. The exchange underscores the polarization in German politics as traditional parties grapple with the AfD's electoral strength and growing influence in parliamentary debates.

The dispute over migration policy remains one of the most divisive issues in German politics, with the AfD's hardline stance contrasting sharply with the more moderate approaches adopted by the CDU/CSU, SPD, and other establishment parties. The rhetoric deployed by both sides reflects the high stakes involved in shaping Germany's approach to immigration in coming years.