Germany is seeing a major debate right now about the far-right party called the AfD. They are gaining more support from voters, but they are also facing a lot of anger from other leaders and the public.

Friedrich Merz, a top German politician, recently slammed the AfD. He accused them of calling for 'ethnic cleansing.' This is a very serious charge. It means he thinks they want to force certain groups of people out of the country based on who they are or where they come from.

The AfD is currently trying to use their new influence to change local laws. They recently won their first state government seat, and critics are worried they want to turn that area into a testing ground for their policies.

Many experts have noticed that the way the AfD talks sounds a lot like Vladimir Putin, the leader of Russia. They use similar messaging to win people over. This has made other politicians even more concerned about what the party stands for.

Even though the party is becoming more powerful, they don't like being called 'far-right.' They often push back against that label when others use it to describe them.

The situation is causing a deep divide in Germany. As the party grows, the fight over their future and what they represent is becoming a huge deal in the country's politics.

Source: Reuters