In Germany, Merz calls remigration a synonym for ethnic cleansing
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz sharply criticized the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party during the general debate in the Bundestag, calling it a destructive force. He said that remigration, which the AfD proposes as a policy of mass deportations, is a synonym for ethnic cleansing.
Debate in the Bundestag
As The Local Germany reports, Merz spoke immediately after AfD co-chair Alice Weidel. She spoke about what she called the daily consequences of mass migration for Germany, including neglected and unsafe urban areas.
In response, the chancellor said that the AfD's migration policy would have a significant impact on the labor market. According to him, care homes, hospitals and restaurants would not be able to operate under such conditions.
Merz also said that the AfD is aiding what he described as Russian attempts to destabilize Germany. He mentioned the thwarted drone attack at Leipzig Airport on August 4, for which, according to the publication, Berlin blamed Russia. The chancellor reproached Weidel for the lack of reaction to the incident and said that the AfD is part of Germany's problem.
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Cancelled conversation with Trump
On the same day, it became known that Merz had cancelled a planned telephone conversation with US President Donald Trump. A representative of the chancellor did not explain the reason for the cancellation but noted that it was not related to a scheduling conflict. A new date for the call has not yet been set.
This happened several hours after Trump congratulated the AfD on Truth Social on its convincing victory in the state elections in Saxony-Anhalt. He wrote that, in his view, Germans were tired of immigration rules that had harmed the country.
Merz's spokesperson did not comment directly on Trump's post but recalled that the chancellor had repeatedly objected to interference in or commentary on the domestic political situation, including elections. Merz was previously criticized for tougher migration policy and for passing a resolution on tightening immigration rules in January 2025 with the support of the AfD.
