Friedrich Merz Criticizes Vance for Supporting AfD Ahead of German Elections

Leading German chancellor candidate Friedrich Merz sharply rebuked US Vice President JD Vance on Sunday for expressing support for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party ahead of the country’s parliamentary elections on February 23. During a TV debate, Merz reaffirmed that his Christian Democrats (CDU/CSU) would not enter into any coalition talks with the AfD, rejecting any external influence in Germany’s political process.

Merz criticized Vance’s remarks made at the Munich Security Conference, where the US vice president denounced European governments for excluding right-wing populist parties like the AfD from political processes. Merz stated that he had directly expressed his disapproval to Vance, emphasizing that the US had no role in Germany’s federal elections or government formation.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Green Party candidate Robert Habeck also condemned Vance’s speech, with Habeck accusing the Trump administration of attacking Western values and undermining democratic principles. Despite leading in recent polls, Merz’s CDU/CSU alliance is unlikely to secure an outright majority, with the AfD gaining significant traction, though it remains excluded from potential coalition talks.