Merz calls AfD remigration plan ethnic cleansing after Saxony-Anhalt vote

Clash over state election results in the Bundestag

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Alternative for Germany (AfD) co-leader Alice Weidel engaged in a direct confrontation in the Bundestag on Wednesday, 9 September 2026. The exchange occurred during scheduled parliamentary debates on the 2027 federal budget, three days after the state election in Saxony-Anhalt. In that regional vote on Sunday, 6 September 2026, AfD secured 43.8% of the ballots, while Merz's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) fell to 17.2%, its lowest regional share in the state's history. Weidel opened parliamentary proceedings by asserting that the regional outcome delivered a clear rejection of the federal coalition between the CDU and the Social Democratic Party (SPD).

“The citizens of Saxony-Anhalt have made it clear, expressing themselves through the sovereign vote of democracy, that the black-red government is ending.”

Accusations of ethnic cleansing and remigration

Merz took the podium shortly after Weidel's opening remarks to launch a direct response against AfD's core migration platform. The chancellor focused his address on the party's signature concept of remigration, which advocates the large-scale deportation of immigrants and asylum seekers from Germany. While stating that the federal government maintains consensus on deporting individuals who reside in the country without legal authorization, Merz rejected AfD definitions that separate citizens by lineage. He told lawmakers that the opposition party's proposals target individuals purely by background.

“The term 'remigration' is nothing other than a synonym for ethnic cleansing based on origin and skin colour.”

Economic impact and regional arithmetic

Merz also addressed the economic implications of the AfD platform for the domestic workforce and essential public services. He noted that one in six workers in the German craft sector holds a foreign passport, warning that removing foreign personnel would cripple essential services across the country. According to Merz, hospitals, care homes, restaurants, and craft businesses would no longer be able to operate without immigrant labour. Turning to the parliamentary balance in Saxony-Anhalt, the chancellor noted that 56% of voters chose other parties, leaving AfD three seats short of an absolute majority. Merz accused regional lead candidate Ulrich Siegmund of misleading voters after party officials urged him to seek coalition partners despite an earlier pledge to govern only with a full majority.

AfD43.8%

CDU17.2%

AfD

43.8 %

CDU

17.2 %

Data from the article text

Foreign policy disputes and democratic norms

The parliamentary clash broadened into sharp disagreements over foreign policy, security, and the integrity of state institutions. Weidel criticized federal migration policies, linking immigration directly to increased crime, sexual offenses, and public violence. She further accused the German government of escalating war rhetoric concerning Ukraine while the United States pursued diplomatic de-escalation. Merz rejected her claims, characterizing AfD as a destructive force that distorts the Ukraine conflict by turning victims into aggressors and aligning with Russian interests. He concluded by asserting that the opposition party shows persistent contempt for democratic institutions and state representatives, adding that AfD will fail to achieve a governing majority anywhere in Germany.