Merz and Weidel clash in parliament over AfD migration policy
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz clashed with AfD leader Alice Weidel in parliament, calling her party's migration policy "ethnic cleansing" for skilled workers after the far-right's sweeping election win in Saxony-Anhalt. Merz accused the AfD of harming German interests by backing Russia, while Weidel dismissed his coalition as a total failure. The chancellor warned that AfD's "remigration" plans would cripple care homes, hospitals, and restaurants, noting one in six skilled workers has a migration background. The AfD won nearly 44% of the vote but fell three seats short of a majority, with no far-right party governing a German state since World War Two. US President Donald Trump praised the result, linking it to Germany's immigration rules.