The co-leader of the far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD), Alice Weidel, provoked German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in the federal Parliament on Wednesday, following the party's victory in the regional elections in Saxony-Anhalt. The AfD managed to surpass the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Merz's party, in these third regional elections held this year in Germany.
Weidel addressed Merz directly during the parliamentary session, in a moment that marks the growing tension between the two parties following the electoral result. The verbal confrontation occurred shortly after the provisional results in Saxony-Anhalt were known, which gave victory to the AfD with approximately 32% of the votes.
Merz did not remain silent in the face of provocation and responded harshly to Weidel, classifying the party she leads as a 'destructive force'. This response reflects the chancellor's position regarding the growth of the far-right in Germany and his refusal to accept the AfD as a legitimate interlocutor.
The elections in Saxony-Anhalt are the third regional elections held in Germany this year, all of them marked by the significant rise of the AfD. The result represents a new challenge for Merz and for the CDU, at a time when the far-right party continues to gain ground in several German federal states.
