Key facts
- Thousands of Germans protested against the far-right AfD after its significant victory in Saxony-Anhalt.
- The AfD secured nearly 44% of the vote in Saxony-Anhalt, its strongest performance to date.
- Protesters denounced the AfD's anti-immigrant platform and called for an end to racism.
- The AfD is leading in polls for upcoming regional elections in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.
- Germany's domestic intelligence agency has classified the AfD's state chapter as right-wing extremist.
Thousands of Germans took to the streets in protest against the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) following its record-breaking victory in the Saxony-Anhalt state election. Demonstrators gathered in Berlin and other cities, denouncing the party's anti-immigrant and pro-Russian stance and warning of its growing influence ahead of regional elections in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania on September 20.
The AfD secured nearly 44% of the vote in Saxony-Anhalt, a result described as a "disgrace" by Jens-Christian Wagner, director of the Buchenwald memorial, who cautioned that the party was on the verge of taking power in the state for the first time since World War II. Activists, like 17-year-old Max Schneller, vowed to resist any attempts by an AfD government to target minorities.
In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the AfD is leading in voter intent polls with approximately 35%, though the Social Democratic Party (SPD) has seen a resurgence. The election in Berlin presents a mixed picture, with the conservative Christian Democrats (CDU) holding a narrow lead, closely followed by the left-wing Linke party and the AfD.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz has pledged to implement significant reforms to revitalize Germany's economy as a strategy to counter the AfD's rise. However, internal disputes within his coalition government, particularly with the SPD regarding unpopular austerity measures, could further destabilize the ruling parties.