Europe · updated 50m ago · 2 min read
AfD Files Criminal Complaint Against Chancellor Friedrich Merz Over Ethnic Cleansing Remarks
AfD filed a criminal/defamation complaint against Merz over remigration described as ethnic cleansing. Merz described AfD remigration policy as ethnic cleansing during Bundestag debate.
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5 of 7 outlets skipped it: germany's intelligence service characterises 'remigration' as extremist..
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AfD sues Merz
Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) announced it would file a criminal complaint against Chancellor Friedrich Merz after he accused the party of promoting "ethnic cleansing" in parliament.
“We have come to a decision to file a criminal complaint against Chancellor Friedrich Merz”
AfD MP Stephan Brandner said in a video posted to X, "We have come to a decision to file a criminal complaint against Chancellor Friedrich Merz," calling Merz’s remarks in parliament "reprehensible".
Merz made the accusation during a Bundestag exchange on September 9, 2026, saying, "The word 'remigration' is nothing other than a synonym for ethnic cleansing," as AfD members protested.
The dispute centers on Merz’s use of the AfD slogan "remigration," which Merz described as "ethnic cleansing by skin colour and origin," while the AfD contends it refers to deporting foreign criminals and those who have come to Germany illegally.
Immunity and “defamatory insults”
The AfD complaint is tied to Germany’s parliamentary immunity rules, with the law making an exception for "defamatory insults" even when statements are made in the chamber.
Politico.eu reported that Brandner said Merz’s insinuation that the AfD parliamentary group was committed to ethnic cleansing was so clear that "the judiciary must take action here," and that Merz’s remarks "crossed the line."
Merz’s remarks were delivered during a Bundestag debate on September 9, and Politico.eu said the chancellor described "remigration" as "nothing more than a synonym for ethnic cleansing based on origin and skin color."
The AfD also framed its position as being "firmly on the ground of the constitution," while Merz’s press office did not immediately respond to a request for comment, according to Politico.eu.
Political fallout in Germany
The dispute follows the AfD’s performance in Saxony-Anhalt, where BFM said the party won nearly 44% of the vote, far ahead of Merz’s conservative CDU and the outgoing minister-president credited with 17%.
“won nearly 44% of the vote”
BFM also said Merz tried to regain initiative on Wednesday by accusing the AfD of promoting "ethnic cleansing" with "remigration," amid jeers from AfD members.
In the Bundestag exchange, BFM reported that the head of government spoke after a hostile speech by Alice Weidel, who regretted that Germans must "live daily with the consequences of mass immigration."
El País reported that the AfD would file a legal complaint accusing Merz of wanting to carry out an "ethnic cleansing" in Germany, and said the remigration concept was adopted by AfD at a secret 2023 Potsdam meeting.