German far right’s ‘remigration’ plans amount to ethnic cleansing, says Merz

Key Points:

• German Chancellor Friedrich Merz strongly condemned the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party's migration crackdown plans, warning that their "remigration" policies would cripple key sectors of the German economy reliant on foreign workers.
• Merz described "remigration" as ethnic cleansing based on origin and skin color, highlighting that one in six skilled trade workers holds a foreign passport, and mass deportations would lead to closures of hospitals, nursing homes, and restaurants.
• The AfD recently achieved a landslide victory in Saxony-Anhalt, nearly securing an absolute majority, with their election program prominently featuring "immigration and remigration" policies, sparking nationwide protests over plans for mass deportations.
• Merz also criticized the AfD's Russia-friendly stance, accusing them of downplaying a Russian-planned drone attack on a German airport and supporting Kremlin disinformation campaigns aimed at destabilizing Germany.
• Facing declining approval ratings and electoral setbacks, Merz and the Christian Democratic Union are seeking a new strategy to counter the AfD, which is now the most popular party in national polls and aims to gain power in the 2029 national elections.