AfD Files Criminal Complaint Against Chancellor Friedrich Merz Over Ethnic Cleansing Remarks

The AfD parliamentary group in the Bundestag has filed a criminal complaint against Chancellor Friedrich Merz following remarks he made during budget deliberations on Wednesday. The complaint follows a speech in which Merz criticized the AfD and asserted that the party's concept of remigration is nothing other than a synonym for ethnic cleansing based on origin and skin color. Stephan Brandner, the parliamentary manager and legal officer for the AfD, described the statements as slanderous, unacceptable, and legally relevant. Brandner stated that the AfD stands firmly on the foundation of the Basic Law and argued that the Chancellor's allegations target not only the members of the parliamentary group but also millions of citizens. The AfD further argued that these remarks are not covered by parliamentary indemnity. The complaint comes shortly after the Bundestag lifted Brandner's own immunity to allow for a separate criminal proceeding regarding insults. While the AfD frames the term remigration as a legitimate political position, center left reporting notes that the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution views the concept as a means to create ethnically defined societies by expelling foreigners.