Merz Calls AfD 'Remigration' Ethnic Cleansing as 1 in 6 Skilled Workers Hold Foreign Passports
Updated
Updated · POLITICO Europe · Sep 9
Merz Calls AfD 'Remigration' Ethnic Cleansing as 1 in 6 Skilled Workers Hold Foreign Passports
3 articles · Updated · POLITICO Europe · Sep 9
Summary
Friedrich Merz used a Bundestag speech to brand AfD's "remigration" agenda "ethnic cleansing" and warn it would cripple Germany's economy.
One in six skilled-trades workers holds a foreign passport, Merz said, arguing forced departures would leave trades unable to function and shut nursing homes, hospitals and restaurants.
The attack was his sharpest yet on the surging far-right party after the CDU's election setback and AfD's strong showing in Saxony-Anhalt.
AfD won nearly 44% in Saxony-Anhalt but still fell three seats short of a majority, underscoring both its momentum and the pressure on Merz's government.
Will Germany's desperate need for skilled labor ultimately defeat the AfD's radical mass deportation agenda?
Could an unthinkable alliance between far-right and left-wing populists finally shatter Germany's political firewall?
How is a TikTok star's sunny persona masking a radical political agenda that could cripple Germany?
Germany’s Far-Right Breakthrough: AfD’s 43.8% Landslide in Saxony-Anhalt, CDU Collapse, and the Shattering of the Political Firewall
Overview
The September 2026 Saxony-Anhalt election marked a historic turning point in German politics, with the far-right AfD winning 43.8% of the vote and nearly securing an outright majority, while the CDU suffered a dramatic collapse. This surge was fueled by record voter turnout, especially among young people, and deep frustrations in eastern Germany over economic inequality, cultural divides, and a sense of abandonment since reunification. The result triggered a leadership crisis in the CDU, exposed cracks in the traditional firewall against the far-right, and left government formation in gridlock. The AfD’s rise, amplified by pro-Russian sentiment and international right-wing support, now threatens to reshape both German and European politics.