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Thousands Rally in Magdeburg Against AfD on Eve of Saxony-Anhalt Election

From ABC Color · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

Newswire Named sources Ongoing story
  • An estimated 10,000 to 15,000 people rallied in Magdeburg under the slogan “An Open-Minded Saxony-Anhalt” against the far right and in support of democracy.
  • The demonstration came as polls put AfD at 41%, ahead of the CDU at 23%, with several parties near or below the 5% threshold.
  • AfD held its final campaign event nearby, while participants urged voters to strengthen democratic representation in Sunday’s election.

Magdeburg’s Cathedral Square filled with demonstrators on Saturday as thousands rallied against the far right and in favor of democracy, diversity and solidarity. Organizers put the crowd at about 15,000, while police estimated 10,000.

It is important to show democratic unity.

· TinaA University of Magdeburg researcher explained why she attended the rally with her family.

The gathering took place under the slogan “An Open-Minded Saxony-Anhalt” and included musical performances, activists and German public figures. Civil-society organizations backed the event, which was not formally linked to a political party, although the lead candidates of The Left and the Greens, Eva von Angern and Susan Sziborra-Seidlitz, attended. Nearby, the Alternative for Germany, or AfD, held its final campaign rally.

Tina, a researcher at the University of Magdeburg who attended with her family, said it was “important to show democratic unity” while opinion polls suggested AfD could win Sunday’s election. “I hope there will not be an AfD government, but even if that does not happen, the problem will remain,” she said, referring to what she described as hatred embedded in public debate.

I hope there will not be an AfD government, but even if that does not happen, the problem will remain.

· TinaShe described her concern about AfD and what she called hatred in public debate.

The latest poll, published Thursday, placed AfD at 41% of voting intentions. The CDU followed at 23%, The Left at 11.5%, the Social Democratic Party at 8.5% and the Greens at 6%. The FDP and Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance were below the 5% threshold needed to enter the state parliament.

We have to show that the right-wing surge is not what it seems in Saxony-Anhalt. People always say we are very right-wing here, but that is not true.

· MaxA demonstrator argued that the rally challenged perceptions of the state’s political mood.

Other demonstrators focused on preventing an AfD majority. A young couple, Maxi and Max, attended with their baby and hoped enough parties would clear the threshold to reduce AfD’s chances of governing alone. A festival beside the cathedral also featured the 92-year-old Holocaust author and survivor Henriette Kretz, along with musicians, politicians and activists.

Democracy has to be strengthened.

· BerndA man watching the festival with his dog said events like the rally could reinforce democracy.
About this summary

Originally published by ABC Color in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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