New German Chancellor to US: ‘Stay Out’ of Berlin’s Affairs
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has urged the US government to “stay out” of his country's internal politics following criticism from Trump administration officials regarding the classification of Germany’s second-largest party, Alternative...
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German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has urged the US government to “stay out” of his country's internal politics following criticism from Trump administration officials regarding the classification of Germany’s second-largest party, Alternative for Germany (AfD), as an “extremist” organization.
This response comes in the wake of Berlin’s domestic intelligence agency, the BfV, designating the AfD as extremist. In reaction, US Vice President J. D. Vance remarked that the “German establishment” had “rebuilt” the Berlin Wall, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio claimed that Germany has become “a tyranny in disguise," calling on German authorities to change their approach.
On Tuesday, Merz, who was elected chancellor after a failed initial confirmation vote, stated during an interview with ZDF that “absurd observations” were being made in Washington about the German treatment of the AfD. He expressed a desire for the American government to “largely stay out of” German domestic affairs.
Noting that he “did not interfere in the American election campaign” last year, which resulted in Trump’s reelection, the 69-year-old chancellor asserted that US politicians should not support the AfD since they “can clearly distinguish between extremist parties and parties of the political center.”
Merz indicated plans for a phone call with Trump on Thursday and mentioned an upcoming face-to-face meeting at the NATO summit in the Hague on June 24 and 25.
When questioned about the prospect of banning the AfD in Germany, the chancellor emphasized the importance of restraint. “Ten million AfD voters, you cannot ban them,” Merz argued. He suggested that the ruling CDU/CSU alliance should concentrate on addressing the issues that lead people to vote for the right-wing party.
AfD advocates for stricter immigration and asylum policies and opposes the “woke agenda.” The party recorded its highest-ever vote share in February's elections, achieving 20.8% and finishing second to CDU/CSU, which garnered 28.5%. Following this, the party filed a lawsuit on Monday to contest the BfV's classification as an “extremist” organization.
Allen M Lee for TROIB News
This response comes in the wake of Berlin’s domestic intelligence agency, the BfV, designating the AfD as extremist. In reaction, US Vice President J. D. Vance remarked that the “German establishment” had “rebuilt” the Berlin Wall, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio claimed that Germany has become “a tyranny in disguise," calling on German authorities to change their approach.
On Tuesday, Merz, who was elected chancellor after a failed initial confirmation vote, stated during an interview with ZDF that “absurd observations” were being made in Washington about the German treatment of the AfD. He expressed a desire for the American government to “largely stay out of” German domestic affairs.
Noting that he “did not interfere in the American election campaign” last year, which resulted in Trump’s reelection, the 69-year-old chancellor asserted that US politicians should not support the AfD since they “can clearly distinguish between extremist parties and parties of the political center.”
Merz indicated plans for a phone call with Trump on Thursday and mentioned an upcoming face-to-face meeting at the NATO summit in the Hague on June 24 and 25.
When questioned about the prospect of banning the AfD in Germany, the chancellor emphasized the importance of restraint. “Ten million AfD voters, you cannot ban them,” Merz argued. He suggested that the ruling CDU/CSU alliance should concentrate on addressing the issues that lead people to vote for the right-wing party.
AfD advocates for stricter immigration and asylum policies and opposes the “woke agenda.” The party recorded its highest-ever vote share in February's elections, achieving 20.8% and finishing second to CDU/CSU, which garnered 28.5%. Following this, the party filed a lawsuit on Monday to contest the BfV's classification as an “extremist” organization.
Allen M Lee for TROIB News
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