AfD sues Friedrich Merz / Party accuses chancellor of defamation following his statements

The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party is suing Chancellor Friedrich Merz, accusing him of defamation after he associated the party’s policy on “remigration” with “ethnic cleansing.” The dispute erupted on Wednesday during a debate in the Bundestag, amid clashes over migration and the recent election results in Saxony-Anhalt.

Merz said that “remigration” was “a synonym for ethnic cleansing based on origin and skin color.” The chancellor also argued that the measures proposed by the AfD on migration would have serious effects on the German economy.

Stephan Brandner, an AfD lawmaker and senior party member, said the statements had crossed the line and become criminally relevant. He argued that associating the party with expulsions and crimes required judicial intervention. Friedrich Merz has not yet reacted to the legal action.

“Remigration” is a concept used by the far right to refer to the return or deportation of migrants, ranging from people without legal status to the mass expulsion of immigrants and their descendants. The AfD won nearly 44% of the vote in Saxony-Anhalt, securing 39 of the regional parliament’s 83 seats.