German Chancellor Friedrich Merz accused the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party of advocating "ethnic cleansing" through its anti-migration policies and support for Russia. The AfD surged to victory in an eastern state election, and Merz's criticism comes after his own party suffered a bruising defeat. According to the article, the AfD wants to speed up deportations of rejected asylum seekers and foreign criminals, as well as teach refugee children in segregated classes, which Merz claims is equivalent to "remigration" policies. The AfD has denied that its policies are tantamount to ethnic cleansing, saying they are legal and aim to reduce migration.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-09,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party is poised to gain significant power in a regional election, which could make it the first far-right party to hold state power in Saxony-Anhalt since World War II. The AfD, known for its anti-immigration and nationalist policies, has been gaining popularity in recent years, and its leader, Ulrich Siegmund, is popular among voters. If the AfD wins a majority of seats in the regional parliament, it would give the party significant leverage over state resources, including education policy. The party's platform includes creating separate classrooms for refugees, normalizing relations with Russia through student exchange programs, and promoting a patriotism agenda that focuses less on Germany's Nazi past. An AfD win could also spell trouble for German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who has struggled to contain the rise of the far right. Meanwhile, experts warn that an AfD victory could lead to a shift in German politics, with potential implications for immigration policy, education, and international relations.
Written for “German Election and the AfD Party” on 2026-09-09,
grounded in this article and the 56 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The article's own words the score was based on. Each is quoted
verbatim and was checked against the article text before being
stored, so you can find it in the original.
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If what is being advocated here, namely 'remigration', were to become reality, it would be nothing other than a synonym for ethnic cleansing based on origin and skin colour
left Merz characterizes AfD's policies as equivalent to ethnic cleansing
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By ‘remigration,’ the AfD means the consistent deportation - in accordance with the law - of all foreigners required to leave the country; nothing else.
right AfD clarifies its position on remigration, emphasizing it is a legal process
Leaning score +0.35 for article 7162 (high confidence, 2 verified quotes) · logged 2026-09-09
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has accused the Alternative for German of supporting Russia and advocating anti-migration policies that were tantamount to "ethnic cleansing".
asserted
that → accuse → cleansing
Merz was addressing the German parliament following his party's bruising defeat against the AfD, which surged to victory in an election in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt on a platform to curb migration and restore ties with Moscow.
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which → address → Moscow
The AfD said Merz was deliberately mischaracterising its position as a way of demonizing the party, and said its policies were legal.
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Merz → say → policies
Merz was reacting to Sunday's election loss and his own record-low approval ratings.
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Merz → react → loss
He has also brushed off suggestions that he might resign.
uncertain
he → brush → suggestions
"If what is being advocated here, namely 'remigration', were to become reality, it would be nothing other than a synonym for ethnic cleansing based on origin and skin colour," Merz said, in answer to an earlier speech by AfD co-leader Alice Weidel.
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Merz → advocate → Weidel
Merz took aim at the AfD's calls for ending support for Ukraine, accusing the party of being "steadfastly on Russia’s side" even after a planned drone attack at a German airport last month that Merz said was carried out by Moscow.
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Merz → take → Moscow
Russia denies this.
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Russia → deny → this
The AfD has been classified as right-wing extremist by the local office of Germany's domestic intelligence service.
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AfD → classify → service
In its election programme in Saxony-Anhalt, it advocated for "remigration" policies to speed up deportations of rejected asylum seekers and foreign criminals and incentivise people to leave voluntarily.
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it → advocate → people
It also wants the children of refugees to be taught in segregated classes.
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children → want → classes
"By ‘remigration,’ the AfD means the consistent deportation - in accordance with the law - of all foreigners required to leave the country; nothing else.
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AfD → mean → country
Chancellor Merz knows this, too," AfD lawmaker Bernd Baumann said in an email to Reuters.
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Baumann → know → Reuters
"Nevertheless, attributing ethnic cleansing to the AfD as a political goal is a desperate and sordid attempt to maintain a ‘firewall’ through fabricated demonization.
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attributing → attribute → demonization
Merz said forcing migrants to leave would create a skill shortage that would backfire.
"
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that → say → shortage
Not a single nursing home will function.
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home → function → ?
Not a single hospital in Germany will remain operational, and not a single restaurant will be able to stay in business - that would be the result of their remigration policy," he said.
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he → remain → policy
Many representatives of minority groups have expressed alarm over the rise of the AfD.
Eva Umlauf, a survivor of the Nazi death camp Auschwitz and president of the International Auschwitz Committee, told Reuters she was "appalled" by Sunday's election result.
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she → express → result
The AfD, founded as a eurosceptic party during the euro zone crisis in 2013, rejects comparisons with the Nazi Party.
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AfD → found → Party
However, opponents accuse the party of downplaying Germany's Nazi past, pointing to a comment by one of its leaders in 2018 who described the period as "just bird shit in 1,000 years of successful German history".
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who → accuse → history
Three days on from the election, it was still not clear who would form a government in Saxony-Anhalt.
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who → form → Anhalt
While the AfD won most votes, it fell short of a majority.
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it → win → majority
Mainstream parties refuse to go into coalition with the AfD in a policy known as the "firewall", but the AfD could come to an arrangement with a small leftist partythat shares its hostility to mass immigration.
uncertain
AfD → refuse → immigration
In another line of attack, Merz accused the AfD of breaking its word that it would only govern if it won an absolute majority.
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it → accuse → majority
"You failed to achieve your actual electoral goal of securing a majority of seats in Saxony-Anhalt," Merz said.
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Merz → fail → Anhalt
"56% of voters in Saxony-Anhalt did not vote for you," he added.
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he → vote → you
