The Alternative for Germany party (AfD) announced it will sue German Chancellor Friedrich Merz after he accused the party of wanting "ethnic cleansing" in Germany. The legal action comes as a direct response to the controversial statements made by Merz during a Bundestag session.
The legal initiative happened just two days after a particularly intense confrontation in the German parliament between Merz and AfD co-chair Alice Weidel. The debate was marked by heavy accusations exchanged between the two politicians.
Merz's accusation was considered extremely serious by AfD's leadership, which decided to react legally to what it considers to be defamation and a falsification of the party's positions. The far-right party denies any intention of implementing ethnic cleansing policies.
This episode takes place in a context of growing political tension in Germany, with AfD asserting itself as one of the main opposition forces and remaining at the center of various controversies involving both domestic policy and the country's position on immigration.
