Tens of thousands protest against far-right in Germany

Tens of thousands of demonstrators gathered in cities across Germany on Saturday to protest against the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. The AfD had secured a significant victory in the recent state election in Saxony-Anhalt, making it the first extreme-right state government in Germany since World War II. Protests were organized by Pruef, which advocates for a ban on the AfD, and were held in around 20 cities, including Berlin, Hamburg, and Munich.

Organizers of the protests urged citizens to "Ban the AfD now" and emphasized that "democracy needs no alternatives." Christoph Bautz, head of campaign group Campact, stated that a broad cross-section of civil society was present to prevent the AfD from gaining government power in Saxony-Anhalt. The rise of the AfD has alarmed many Germans, who feel a special responsibility to atone for their country's Nazi past.

Despite calls for a formal ban on the AfD, the path to achieving this remains challenging in Germany. Chancellor Friedrich Merz, representing the centre-right CDU party, remains skeptical about banning the group. In Berlin, around several thousand protesters participated in multiple demonstrations. The AfD held a counter-demonstration in the capital, attended by Kristin Brinker, their lead candidate in the upcoming regional elections in Berlin.

Campact reported that approximately 25,000 protesters gathered in Hamburg, while 12,000 demonstrators took to the streets in Munich. The anti-immigration and Russia-friendly party received nearly 44% of the vote in the state election in Saxony-Anhalt, falling three seats short of securing an absolute majority. The AfD has since initiated talks with other groups and MPs to form a state government.