The Bundestag resumed its sessions after the summer recess, with Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) and AfD co-leader Alice Weidel sharply confronting each other during the general debate. The discussion focused on the AfD’s election success in Saxony-Anhalt, migration policy, Germany’s relations with Russia, government spending, energy policy and the country’s weak PISA education results.
Merz warned the AfD against excessive confidence following its strong result in the Saxony-Anhalt state election. Addressing Weidel directly, he said: “"Ms Weidel, today you can hardly contain your confidence.” The chancellor stressed that the AfD had not achieved an absolute majority and would not achieve one in Germany with its current policies. He described the party as a “destructive force” and accused it of showing contempt for democratic institutions and repeatedly putting representatives of the state down personally.
Merz also emphasized what he called a “deep rift” between the AfD and the other parties in the Bundestag. He referred to major differences in foreign policy, European policy, social policy and peace policy.
The chancellor acknowledged that the AfD had achieved a “remarkable election result” in Saxony-Anhalt. He said voters had spoken clearly and had also sent a clear message to the federal government and to him personally. However, he pointed out that the AfD had failed to achieve its goal of an absolute majority in the Magdeburg state parliament.
Merz also admitted shortcomings in explaining the government’s reform policies and called for the reform course to continue. He said it was the government’s task to explain the “purpose of reforms” and described this as “perhaps the answer we have owed most so far,” adding that he did not exclude himself from this criticism.
The reform policy needed an overarching framework or “narrative,” Merz said. Reforms were not only about economics or mathematics, but also about cohesion, progress and Germany’s further development in freedom and peace.
He said the government needed an answer that would particularly convince Germany’s younger generation, which had most recently voted for the AfD “in the greatest numbers.” Merz said three generations after the Second World War had been able to rely on the promise of prosperity under the market economy, while the younger generation was now questioning that promise. “That is precisely why we must renew this promise of prosperity,” he said.
Merz accused the AfD of harming Germany’s interests through its proximity to Russia. He said that the “radiance of democracy” was what truly threatened Russia and President Vladimir Putin, while accusing the AfD of continuing to stand on Russia’s side.
“You are part of this problem that we have in Germany,” Merz told the AfD parliamentary group, adding that the government would oppose it with everything at its disposal. He said the path presented by the AfD was not supported by the majority in the Bundestag or by the majority of Germany’s population. “We will continue to defend our freedom,” he said.
Migration policy was another major point of confrontation. Merz sharply criticized the AfD’s concept of so-called “remigration,” describing it as “nothing other than ethnic cleansing based on skin colour and origin.” He referred to the consequences for Germany’s labour market, where many people with a migration background work. If the AfD’s approach were implemented, Merz said, skilled trades would no longer be able to operate, nor would nursing homes, hospitals or restaurants.
At the same time, he said it was a coalition consensus that there were still many people in Germany who should not have permanent residence and that more people could be deported. However, Merz stressed that the government carefully distinguished between people who work in Germany and contribute to the country’s prosperity and those who do not have a permanent right to remain and must leave the country. He said the government made this distinction “in contrast” to the AfD.
Weidel accused the federal government of “total failure” during the general debate. She criticized the coalition’s budget policy and what she called an “energy policy ghost ride.” Referring to the AfD’s strong performance in Saxony-Anhalt, Weidel said voters there had sent the federal government a clear signal: “Black-red is over.” She said people wanted a political change and did not want “more of the same.”
Weidel accused Federal Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil (SPD) of irresponsible budget management. She said his budget proposal would destroy “all political room for manoeuvre” and leave behind “burnt earth.” She also claimed that the government was driving Germany towards national bankruptcy at record speed.
On energy policy, Weidel described the “so-called energy transition” as the biggest burden weighing down Germany’s economy and pushing it towards the abyss. She called it “lost, burned money” and warned of a possible energy supply crisis in winter.
Weidel again called for mass deportations and linked migrants to what she described as wrongly directed social benefits. She contrasted people who work and pay high taxes with those she claimed enter the social welfare systems and live at the expense of the general public. She also called for “unnecessary government spending and subsidies” to be rigorously eliminated. According to Weidel, tens of billions of euros could be saved by cutting climate protection and transformation programmes as well as payments to what she called “politically supported NGOs.”
She demanded that development aid and payments for global climate protection be drastically reduced immediately, while payments to the European Union should be significantly limited. On Ukraine, Weidel accused the federal government of intensifying the war and confrontation with Russia and of breaking the remaining bridges for negotiations.
The Bundestag debate also addressed Germany’s latest PISA results. The study showed that German 15-year-olds had achieved their lowest-ever results in mathematics and reading, while performance in science was also at its lowest level measured. Merz offered the federal states a renewed joint effort to improve education. He said education was one of the country’s central tasks and that children and young people needed opportunities.
At the same time, the chancellor said the state could not solve Germany’s education problems alone. Families and parents also had a responsibility. If these responsibilities were taken on together, he said, the problem could be solved. Calls for an education summit had followed the publication of the results. School education in Germany is primarily the responsibility of the federal states, while the federal government can provide limited support.
Merz’s speech was repeatedly interrupted by angry calls from the AfD parliamentary group. Bundestag President Julia Klöckner (CDU) called on AfD lawmakers to maintain order. “It must also be endured when the mirror is held up to you,” Klöckner said, adding that lawmakers must be able to listen to others because opinions can differ in parliament.
The exchanges marked a sharply confrontational first general debate following the Bundestag’s return from the summer recess.
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