Germany’s Merz vows to fight ‘extremism’ after AfD, far-left election gains - Al Jazeera
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has condemned political extremism following recent electoral gains by far-right and far-left parties in local elections. Merz specifically criticized the AfD, labeling their platform incompatible with the values of his party, the CDU.
Why it matters
The rise of fringe parties in Germany challenges the traditional political consensus and complicates coalition building in the country's parliamentary system.
Far-right and far-left parties gain ground in local elections as Merz’s approval rating sinks.
x whatsapp-stroke copylink google Add Al Jazeera on Google info Ulrich Siegmund of the AfD party celebrates after the Saxony-Anhalt state elections [File: Matthias Schrader/AP] By Reuters Published On 7 Oct 2026 7 Oct 2026 Chancellor Friedrich Merz has hit out at what he called political “extremism” in Germany after recent stinging defeats in local elections to far-right and far-left parties.
“This is a task for our society as a whole, and it is one I intend to play my part in,” he said on Wednesday at an event in Berlin.
Merz said “extremism” was forcefully making its way into the country’s parliaments, a day after a member of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) was elected president of the state parliament in Saxony-Anhalt and the Left Party won out in Berlin’s state election last month.
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