Tens of thousands of people took to the streets across Germany on Saturday in coordinated demonstrations against the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), following the party’s strongest electoral performance to date in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt.
Protest organizers said around 150,000 people participated in demonstrations in nearly 20 cities, including Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Cologne and Frankfurt. German police confirmed large crowds in several cities, estimating attendance in Berlin alone at between 10,000 and 20,000 people, while organizers reported about 25,000 protesters in Hamburg.
The nationwide demonstrations came one week after the AfD won 43.8 percent of the vote in Saxony-Anhalt’s state election, securing 39 seats in the 83-member state parliament and finishing first. Despite its historic victory, the party fell short of the 42 seats required for an outright majority and remains unable to form a state government without coalition partners.
Marchers carried banners reading “No Place for Nazis,” “Defend Democracy,” and “Stop the Far Right,” calling on mainstream political parties to maintain their refusal to cooperate with the AfD. Many protesters also urged authorities to examine whether the party should face a legal ban over allegations that parts of the organization promote extremist ideology.
The demonstrations were organized by the civil society campaign platform Campact and dozens of trade unions, churches, student organizations and human rights groups. Organizers described the protests as one of Germany’s largest coordinated mobilizations against the far right in recent years.
The AfD has steadily expanded its support nationwide, campaigning on stricter immigration policies, opposition to military aid for Ukraine and criticism of Germany’s political establishment. The party is currently classified as a suspected extremist organization by Germany’s domestic intelligence agency, a designation it is challenging in court.
Germany’s major political parties, including the conservative CDU/CSU, the Social Democrats, the Greens and the Left Party have continued to uphold the country’s so-called “firewall” policy, refusing to enter governing coalitions with the AfD despite its growing electoral support.
Political analysts say the Saxony-Anhalt election has intensified debate over how Germany should respond to the rise of the far right. While supporters view the AfD’s success as evidence of growing public dissatisfaction with mainstream parties, critics argue that its rhetoric threatens democratic institutions and minority rights.
Saturday’s protests reflected mounting public concern over the AfD’s growing influence, even as the party continues to gain support in opinion polls ahead of future regional and national elections.
