Thousands protest in Germany against far-right AfD ahead of party conference

Thousands of demonstrators gathered in Erfurt, Germany, to protest against the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party as it convened for its annual conference. The protests, involving unions, civil society groups, and left-wing parties, aimed to disrupt the meeting and voice strong opposition to the AfD's political platform.

Large numbers of police, including reinforcements from across the country, were deployed to manage the demonstrations. Protesters, watched by police in riot gear, sat in rows to block highways and roads leading to the convention center. Police estimated that around 15,000 people participated in the demonstrations in and around the eastern city.

"We want to make it clear that we simply won't tolerate this, that fascism is on the rise here in Germany," said Georg Becker, a spokesperson for Widersetzen ("Resist"), an anti-AfD umbrella group. The protests occurred just ahead of regional elections in Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, where the AfD hopes to secure power at the state level for the first time.

The AfD, formed over a decade ago, has gained a significant lead in opinion polls, surpassing Chancellor Friedrich Merz's conservatives. The party's platform combines nationalist rhetoric, calls for stricter immigration policies, and appeals to voters disillusioned with established governments and years of economic stagnation. Opponents accuse the AfD of promoting racist policies and attitudes that are incompatible with Germany's democratic values and pose a threat to the country's constitutional order.

Mainstream parties have maintained a "firewall" strategy, refusing any cooperation with the AfD to isolate the party and prevent it from entering coalition governments. AfD leaders deny opposing Germany's democratic foundations and recently won a court injunction against the domestic intelligence service's classification of the party as "extremist." Recent polls indicate AfD support as high as 29%, significantly ahead of the CDU/CSU conservatives' 22%. The party's strongest support base is in the former East Germany, where voter disillusionment with traditional politics is most pronounced. In Saxony-Anhalt, the AfD is polling at 41%, aiming for an outright victory.

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We want to make it clear that we simply won't tolerate this, that fascism is on the rise here in Germany.