Newly appointed German chancellor instructs US to ‘stay out’ of Berlin’s affairs

(MENAFN) German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has called on the US government to refrain from interfering in Germany’s internal politics following criticism over the treatment of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. This comes after Germany’s domestic intelligence agency, the BfV, labeled AfD as an “extremist” group. In response, US Vice President J.D. Vance accused Germany of "rebuilding" the Berlin Wall, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the country as a “tyranny in disguise,” urging German authorities to reconsider their stance.

Merz, who became chancellor after a failed initial confirmation vote, expressed his disapproval of these remarks during an interview on ZDF, calling them “absurd.” He stressed that the US should stay out of German affairs, noting that he refrained from meddling in the US election, which saw Trump secure a second term.

Merz also expressed his belief that US politicians should avoid supporting AfD, as it is easy to distinguish between extremist parties and more centrist ones. On the issue of potentially banning AfD in Germany, Merz urged restraint, arguing that it would not be practical to ban the 10 million AfD voters. Instead, he suggested the CDU/CSU alliance should focus on addressing the reasons behind the party’s rise.

AfD, which advocates for stricter immigration policies and opposes the "woke agenda," had its best electoral result in February, securing 20.8% of the vote, second only to the CDU/CSU. The party is now suing the BfV over its classification as an extremist organization.

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