Merz accuses AfD of ethnic cleansing in Bundestag clash after Saxony-Anhalt win

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz accused the far-right AfD of advocating ethnic cleansing during a heated Bundestag debate on Wednesday, following the party's strong election win in Saxony-Anhalt. He said its "remigration" plans amount to expulsion based on skin color and origin. The debate, originally about the 2027 budget, was the parliament's first session since the AfD won nearly 44 percent of votes in the state election, while Merz's CDU lost half its seats. AfD leader Alice Weidel opened the session, and Merz later framed the result as a loss, noting 56 percent of voters did not back the party. The AfD, classified as extremist by domestic security services, advocates "remigration" without specifying who it targets. Merz argued millions of people with migration backgrounds, including German citizens, could face expulsion, which would force care homes, hospitals, and restaurants to close. His attack comes amid internal CDU pressure over his handling of the AfD's populist appeal.