German Chancellor Merz Slams AfD as 'Destructive Force' in Heated Bundestag Debate

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in the German parliament, the Bundestag, gave a barbed response to opening remarks from the far-right Alternative for Germany's (AfD) co-leader Alice Weider, who lambasted Germany's ruling coalition as a "failure."

The Bundestag debate comes days after the AfD's after its strong showing in the Saxony-Anhalt state election, warning the party against assuming it was on course for broader majorities.

"Ms Weidel, today you can barely contain yourself," Merz told AfD co-leader Alice Weidel during the Bundestag's general debate on Wednesday. "But you do not have an absolute majority, and you will not achieve one in Germany."

"Nowhere in Germany will you win majorities with this politics," Merz said. "You are, and you remain a destructive force."

Merz acknowledged that the AfD had achieved "a remarkable election result in every respect" in Saxony-Anhalt.

"The voters spoke pretty clearly. They also sent us, and me personally, a clear message," he said.

However, he stressed that the AfD had failed to achieve its stated goal of securing an absolute majority in the state parliament in Magdeburg.

Merz accused the AfD of showing "contempt for our democratic institutions" and of repeatedly denigrating representatives of the state.

"You are and will remain a destructive force," Merz said.

He said there was a "deep divide" between the AfD and the other parties in foreign, European, social and peace policy.

Merz also accused the AfD of damaging German interests through its friendly stance towards Russia.

"The only thing that really threatens Russia and Putin is the appeal of democracy," he said. "And yet you are obviously still standing on Russia's side."

"You are part of the problem we have in Germany — and we will resist that with everything at our disposal."

Alice Weidel, co-leader of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), said Chancellor Friedrich Merz's governing coalition had been rejected by voters after the AfD's victory in Saxony-Anhalt.

Speaking in the Bundestag's general debate in her first direct encounter with Merz since Sunday's state election, Weidel said voters wanted a change of political direction rather than "more of the same."

"The voters in Saxony-Anhalt have made it absolutely clear to you, in the language of democratic choice: black-red is over," Weidel said, referring to the traditional party colors of the conservative CDU/CSU and center-left Social Democrats within the governing coalition.

Weidel also attacked the government's fiscal policy, accusing Merz of pursuing unprecedented levels of borrowing.

She said Germany's public finances had been "shattered" and accused the chancellor of leaving behind "scorched earth."

"You are driving Germany towards national bankruptcy in record time," Weidel said.

She described the government's draft budget as a "declaration of surrender" by the coalition and claimed it was unconstitutional.