Asger Risom
Protests Across Dozens of Cities Amid Rising Political Tensions
Thousands of demonstrators gathered across Germany on Sunday demanding the prohibition of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, according to Digi24.
The protest movement comes in response to the country’s domestic intelligence agency recently designating the party as “extremist.”
Large Turnout and Nationwide Demonstrations
The protest network Zusammen gegen Rechts (“Together Against the Right”) organized the demonstrations in over 60 cities, including Berlin, Cologne, and Hamburg.
In Berlin alone, police estimated around 3,000 people participated, while organizers claimed more than 7,000 gathered at the iconic Brandenburg Gate.
Protesters carried rainbow flags and anti-AfD placards, chanting “All together against fascism.”
The demonstrations follow February’s national elections, where AfD secured 20% of the vote, sparking concerns about its growing influence.
Political and Legal Turmoil Over AfD Status
Last week, Germany’s domestic intelligence agency suspended its official classification of AfD as a far-right extremist party, pending the outcome of a court appeal filed by AfD. The designation had raised significant political tensions, including friction with the US administration of President Donald Trump, which has shown open sympathy toward AfD.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s government now faces increased pressure. The Greens’ parliamentary leader, Britta Hasselmann, urged Merz’s CDU party to take a firmer stance against AfD.
“The CDU must now, at the latest, confront the dangers posed by AfD and adopt a clear position,” she told RND over the weekend.
For now, mainstream conservatives remain cautious, fearing that an outright ban could bolster AfD’s narrative of political victimization. The debate continues amid warnings that the party could soon top German voter polls.