German chancellor insists he won't cooperate with far-right AfD

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has reiterated that his party will not cooperate with the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.

"Not because there is a firewall between us – forget that word - we are worlds apart from this party," Merz told a meeting of his conservative bloc's youth movement in the south-western German town of Rust on Saturday. "We have nothing in common with them."

Merz has consistently said that his bloc would never work with the AfD, a concept called the firewall.

He emphasized that he has no intention of jeopardizing the legacy of this party, which he associates with the names of Helmut Kohl and Konrad Adenauer.

Merz also stressed that under his leadership, Germany should remain a country open to immigrants. He said that while irregular migration must be consistently combated, immigrants who want to work in Germany will continue to be welcomed in the future.