Thousands protest in Germany as far-right AfD eyes first state government since the Nazi Party
Thousands of people took to the streets across Germany after the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) recorded its strongest-ever result in a state election, raising fears that the party could make further gains in upcoming polls in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.The protests followed the AfD’s victory in Sunday’s election in Saxony-Anhalt, where it won nearly 44% of the vote and secured 39 of the 83 seats in the state legislature. While the party fell short of the majority needed to govern on its own, it is seeking support from lawmakers from other parties to form what would be Germany’s first far-right state government since the National Socialist German Workers’ Party (NSDAP), or Nazi Party, ruled the country.In Berlin, demonstrators gathered around the Brandenburg Gate for a pro-democracy rally opposing the AfD. Police estimated the crowd at about 5,000, while organisers said more than 14,000 people attended. Protests were also reported in Potsdam, Münster, Göttingen, Dresden, Aachen, Bamberg, Darmstadt and Halberstadt.The rallies reflected growing concern over the AfD’s electoral momentum. Protesters carried signs opposing racism and fascism, while speakers urged voters not to become resigned after the Saxony-Anhalt result.Jens-Christian Wagner, director of the memorial at the former Nazi concentration camp Buchenwald, described the result as a “disgrace” and warned against accepting the prospect of an AfD-led government in silence.The election has also put pressure on Chancellor Friedrich Merz and his Christian Democratic Union (CDU). Merz ruled out cooperation with the AfD but acknowledged that the result had shaken his party “to its very foundations”. He rejected suggestions that he should resign, saying he would continue with his government’s reform programme.The AfD’s rise is now being watched closely ahead of state elections scheduled for September 20. The party is leading voter-intention polls in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania at around 35%, although the centre-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) has narrowed the gap after recovering support in recent months. Berlin’s contest is even more fragmented, with the CDU holding only a narrow lead over the Left party and AfD.Germany’s long-standing political “firewall” against the AfD is also facing renewed scrutiny. The country’s mainstream parties have traditionally refused to cooperate with the party, while the AfD has criticised the policy as undemocratic. The populist-left BSW, however, has signalled that it could work with the AfD, particularly on issues including migration and Germany’s policy towards Russia.The AfD has been classified as right-wing extremist by Germany’s domestic intelligence agency in Saxony-Anhalt, a designation the party rejects. Its national leadership has portrayed the Saxony-Anhalt result as a major breakthrough, with co-leader Alice Weidel saying the party would aim for at least 40% in Germany’s next national election in 2029.Meanwhile, the result has drawn concern beyond Germany. French finance minister Roland Lescure described the AfD’s success as a “very, very worrying signal”, saying Europe was facing a broader populist challenge.The latest rallies are part of a broader mobilisation against the AfD’s anti-immigration and nationalist agenda, which has repeatedly drawn protests over its proposals to tighten migration rules and pursue deportations.
