- Mass Demonstrations Follow AfD’s Strong Election Performance in Saxony-Anhalt
BERLIN: Tens of thousands of people took to the streets across Germany on Saturday in nationwide demonstrations against the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), following the party’s decisive victory in last week’s state election in Saxony-Anhalt.
Organizers said around 150,000 demonstrators gathered in approximately 20 cities, including Berlin, Hamburg and Munich, responding to calls from Pruef, a campaign group advocating a ban on the AfD.
Protesters carried banners and placards bearing slogans including “Ban the AfD now” and “Democracy needs no alternatives,” as demonstrations highlighted growing concerns over the party’s expanding political influence.
AfD Seeks to Enter State Government
The AfD secured nearly 44 percent of the vote in Saxony-Anhalt, substantially ahead of the center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU), which received around 17 percent.
The result left the AfD three seats short of an outright majority. The party has subsequently begun discussions with other political groups and independent lawmakers in an effort to form a state government.
If successful, the move would mark the establishment of the first far-right state government in Germany since the end of World War II.
Concerns Over Germany’s Nazi Past
The AfD’s growing electoral strength has intensified debate over Germany’s political future, particularly amid concerns about the country’s historical responsibility stemming from the Nazi era.
Calls for stronger measures against the party, including efforts to seek its formal prohibition, have gained momentum among sections of civil society and political activists.
Christoph Bautz, head of campaign group Campact, which participated in the demonstrations, said the protests represented a broad section of German society seeking to prevent what he described as constitutional opponents from gaining governmental power.
Chancellor Merz Remains Cautious on Ban
Despite mounting calls for action, the legal and political hurdles to banning a political party in Germany remain considerable.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz, leader of the center-right CDU, has expressed skepticism about pursuing a formal ban on the AfD, underscoring the continuing debate within Germany’s mainstream political establishment.
Protests and Counter-Demonstration in Berlin
In Berlin, police reported that several thousand people participated in multiple demonstrations. The AfD also organized a counter-demonstration in the German capital, attended by Kristin Brinker, the party’s lead candidate for next weekend’s regional elections in Berlin.
Campact estimated that approximately 25,000 people demonstrated in Hamburg and 12,000 in Munich, underscoring the scale of opposition to the AfD across major German cities.
The nationwide protests reflect growing polarization over the AfD’s political rise and the broader debate over the future of Germany’s democratic and constitutional order.
BY: The Times Union
