Top German politicians denounce far-right AfD in heated debate

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Wednesday offered his support to demonstrators who have taken to the streets across the country to denounce the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party and other right-wing groups.

Scholz said revelations that AfD officials met with far-right extremists to discuss "remigration," a euphemism for forcing immigrants out of the country, should alarm everyone.

"When conferences are held in country manors in this country to discuss how a part of the population can be pushed out of this country - 'remigration' as a keyword - it is reminiscent of the darkest times in German history," Scholz told the German parliament on Wednesday.

Many people in Germany with foreign roots are now afraid that they will have to leave, Scholz said.

"And that's why I think we all need to make a very clear commitment at this point: We stand before these citizens, they don't have to be afraid," said Scholz.

Martin Sellner, a well-known Austrian white supremacist, was among those that addressed the gathering in November that included AfD officials.

According to the investigative news outlet Correctiv, Sellner named three target groups for "remigration": Asylum seekers, foreigners with temporary residency rights and "non-assimilated citizens."

Scholz said that he was very happy that so many citizens across all party lines took to the streets together to protest against this.

Addressing opposition leader Friedrich Merz of the centre-right CDU/CSU bloc, Scholz said the political parties should stand together against threats from the radical fringes.

"We must stand together as democrats," he demanded. "We in Germany have a task before our history. As democrats, we want to show that we will stop this trend, and we will do so together."

Merz also welcomed the mass demonstrations and, turning toward the AfD delegation, denounced their far-right politics.

"Xenophobia, anti-Semitism and nationalism go hand in hand with you, as do close ties to Russia and a deep-seated anti-American complex," Merz told AfD lawmakers.

"Enough is enough. You are not the 'Alternative for Germany' - you would be the final downfall for Germany, and not just economically, but above all morally."

Merz vowed that his party would oppose the AfD with all its strength. But he also argued that Scholz's government holds partial blame for rising support of the far-right among German voters.

"The voters for the AfD are not all right-wing radicals, but they are all pretty frustrated," Merz said, adding that the solution would be for Scholz's governing coalition to finally solve the country's problems.

AfD co-chairwoman Alice Weidel responded with a fiery attack on Scholz's government, whom she described as "overburdened misfits and stubborn ideologues" who "hate Germany" and are currently "cutting a swath of devastation" through the country.

Weidel claimed her far-right party is the victim of an "unprecedented smear campaign" and offered an indignant reply to German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, whom she accused of having called AfD voters "rats."

Steinmeier said in a speech on Monday calling for a broad democratic alliance against the AfD and other far-right groups that "we will not allow this country to be ruined by extremist rat catchers."

Alexander Dobrindt, a senior Bavarian lawmaker in the conservative CDU/CSU bloc, responded to Weidel with scorn and accused the AfD of "working to ruin this country" with talk of quitting the European Union or cozying up to authoritarian Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"You are not the 'alternative' for Germany," Dobrindt shouted at AfD lawmakers, backed by applause from his own ranks. "The alternative you are offering is the alternative of immaturity, submission and lack of freedom. That has nothing to do with patriotism - it is treason."