Tens of thousands protest against far-right in Germany

Tens of thousands of protesters demonstrated against the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) in Germany on Saturday, following their victory in a state election last week. The AfD secured the highest vote in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt, raising concerns about the formation of an extreme-right state government in Germany since World War II. Around 150,000 demonstrators participated in over 20 cities, including Berlin, Hamburg, and Munich, organized by the group Pruef, which advocates for a ban on the AfD.

Christoph Bautz, head of campaign group Campact, stated that a broad cross-section of civil society was protesting to prevent the AfD from gaining power in Saxony-Anhalt, a region with a special responsibility to atone for its Nazi past. Although calls for a formal ban on the AfD have grown, establishing such a ban in Germany poses significant challenges. Chancellor Friedrich Merz of the center-right CDU party remains skeptical about taking such an approach.

In Berlin, around several thousand protesters engaged in multiple demonstrations, while the AfD held a counter-demonstration attended by Kristin Brinker, their lead candidate for the upcoming regional elections in Berlin. Campact reported approximately 25,000 demonstrators in Hamburg and 12,000 in Munich.

The anti-immigration and pro-Russia party garnered nearly 44% of the votes in Saxony-Anhalt's election last Sunday, trailing behind the CDU by three seats. The AfD is actively seeking to form a state government by negotiating with other groups and lawmakers.