Around 150,000 protest against far-right AfD in Germany

Around 150,000 demonstrators gathered in approximately 20 cities throughout Germany to protest the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. The AfD had achieved a significant victory in the recent state election in Saxony-Anhalt, positioning itself as the first far-right party to seek forming a government in Germany since World War II.

Demonstrators in cities such as Berlin, Hamburg, and Munich rallied with signs displaying slogans like "Ban the AfD now" and "Democracy needs no alternatives." Campaigner Christoph Bautz of the group Campact emphasized that a cross-section of civil society was uniting to prevent the AfD from gaining governmental power in Saxony-Anhalt.

The AfD's surge has raised concerns among many Germans about maintaining their nation's responsibility to address its Nazi history, prompting calls for mainstream parties to seek a ban on the AfD. Despite this, Chancellor Friedrich Merz of the center-right CDU party remains hesitant about such a ban. In Berlin, around several thousand protesters took part in multiple demonstrations.

The AfD staged a counter-protest in the capital, drawing the attention of Kristin Brinker, its candidate for the upcoming regional elections in Berlin. The party garnered nearly 44% of the vote in Saxony-Anhalt's recent election, trailing the CDU by three seats and has been engaging in talks with other groups and MPs to form a state government.