Thousands protest against Germany's far-right AfD party


  • World
  • Sunday, 30 Jul 2023

A person uses a placard to cover from the sun as people gather on the day of the European election assembly 2023 of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) in Magdeburg, Germany, July 29, 2023. REUTERS/Annegret Hilse

MAGDEBURG, Germany (Reuters) - Thousands took to the streets to protest against the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) on Friday and Saturday as the party held a convention to choose its candidates for European parliamentary elections next year.

Protesters outside the conference venue in the city of Magdeburg waved banners with messages like "stand together against right-wing hate" or "Nazis out".

Polling at 22% behind the opposition conservatives, the AfD denies it is a Nazi party. Analysts say it is tapping into voters' fears about recession, migration and the green transition.

The AfD last month won a vote for a district leader for the first time and is on course to win three upcoming state elections in east Germany. Its rise has drawn concern from the domestic intelligence service about extremism.

"Germany has understood that the right is the future," AfD's leader Alice Weidel told Italian newspaper La Repubblica on Saturday. "The voices are getting louder."

The AfD says its vision of Europe is "one of sovereign nation states instead of an EU superstate" and it wants "free citizens instead of paternalism and bureaucratic control."

But any temptation for the mainstream to join hands with the far-right can backfire.

Germany's main opposition leader Friedrich Merz was on Monday forced to row back from comments suggesting he could work with the AfD at a local level.

Merz, who leads the Christian Democrats (CDU), hurriedly ruled out cooperation of any kind with the AfD after a backlash from within his own ranks.

Vocal among the protesters in Magdeburg were "Grannies against the far-right" calling for an end to racism and far-right politics.

(Reporting by Maria Martinez and Oliver Denzer; Additional reporting by Alvise Armellini; Editing by Giles Elgood)

Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!
   

Next In World

Germany arrests suspected members of neo-Nazi group plotting revolt
Equatorial Guinea orders crackdown on sex in government offices after videos leaked
South Africa and Britain to strengthen trade and defence ties
The final day of voting in the US is here, after tens of millions have already cast their ballots
Russian tank factory employee jailed for 16 years in Ukraine treason case
Colombia to buy Saab fighter aircraft, Swedish public radio reports
Nigeria court frees 119 protesters after government drops charges
Greek court detains man pending trial over Athens apartment blast
Greece mulls migrant facility on Rhodes to tackle rise in arrivals
Doing nothing not an option, German liberals tell coalition allies

Others Also Read