Scholz, Merz blast Vance's 'interference' in German election campaign
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Sunday described US Vice President JD Vance's comments on the German election campaign as "completely unacceptable."
In a heated TV debate with his three principal rivals, days after Vance called for the "firewall" holding back the far-right Alternative for Germany to be dropped, Scholz said Germany has learnt from its Nazi past to rule out any cooperation with extreme right-wing parties.
Conservative leader Friedrich Merz, the favourite to become the next chancellor, said he "resented such interference in the German parliamentary elections."
He added: "I'm not going to let an American vice president tell me who I have to talk to here in Germany."