Chancellor Merz and AfD's Weidel Engage in Heated Bundestag Debate Post-Election

In a highly charged parliamentary session, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz confronted Alice Weidel, the leader of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), following the party's significant electoral success in Saxony-Anhalt. The AfD secured nearly 44% of the vote, a stark contrast to the ruling coalition's diminished support, prompting Merz to label the party a "destructive force".

During the debate in the Bundestag, Merz vehemently criticized the AfD's immigration policy, suggesting it amounted to nothing less than "ethnic cleansing" within skilled trades. He argued that such measures would negatively impact a significant portion of Germany's workforce, noting that one in six skilled workers had a migration background. In response, Weidel asserted that the electorate had expressed their discontent with Merz's coalition with the center-left and accused him of leading the country toward economic ruin.

The session became increasingly tumultuous, with AfD members heckling Merz, leading Bundestag President Julia Klöckner to threaten expulsion for the disruption. Weidel claimed that the AfD's platform was a necessary response to rising violence linked to mass migration, but Merz countered that their policies would undermine essential services across Germany.

Source: www.bbc.co.uk