Thousands of people took to the streets across Germany after the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) secured its strongest-ever result in a state election, fuelling concerns that the party could make further gains in upcoming polls in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.
The protests came after the AfD’s sweeping victory in Sunday’s election in Saxony-Anhalt, where it won nearly 44% of the vote and secured 39 of the 83 seats in the state legislature. Although the party fell short of the majority required to govern alone, it is seeking support from lawmakers from other parties to form what would be Germany’s first far-right state government since the National Socialist German Workers’ Party (NSDAP), or Nazi Party, ruled the country.
In Berlin, demonstrators gathered around the Brandenburg Gate for a pro-democracy rally opposing the AfD. Police estimated that around 5,000 people attended, while organisers put the turnout at more than 14,000. Demonstrations were also reported in Potsdam, Münster, Göttingen, Dresden, Aachen, Bamberg, Darmstadt and Halberstadt.
The rallies highlighted growing anxiety over the AfD’s rising electoral strength. Protesters carried banners denouncing racism and fascism, while speakers urged voters not to become discouraged by the party’s breakthrough in Saxony-Anhalt.
Jens-Christian Wagner, director of the memorial at the former Nazi concentration camp Buchenwald, described the election result as a “disgrace” and warned against silently accepting the possibility of an AfD-led state government.
The election has also intensified pressure on Chancellor Friedrich Merz and his Christian Democratic Union (CDU). Merz has ruled out any cooperation with the AfD, but acknowledged that the result had shaken his party “to its very foundations”. Rejecting calls for his resignation, he said his government would continue pursuing its reform programme.
The AfD’s growing influence is being closely watched ahead of state elections scheduled for September 20. The party is leading voter-intention polls in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania with around 35% support, although the centre-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) has narrowed the gap after regaining support in recent months. Berlin’s political landscape is even more fragmented, with the CDU holding only a narrow lead over the Left party and the AfD.
Germany’s long-standing political “firewall” against the AfD is also coming under renewed scrutiny. Mainstream parties have traditionally refused to cooperate with the far-right party, while the AfD has criticised the policy as undemocratic. The populist-left Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW), however, has indicated that it could potentially work with the AfD on certain issues, including migration and Germany’s policy towards Russia.
The AfD has been classified as right-wing extremist by Germany’s domestic intelligence agency in Saxony-Anhalt, a designation the party rejects. Its national leadership has hailed the Saxony-Anhalt result as a major breakthrough. Co-leader Alice Weidel said the party would seek to secure at least 40% of the vote in Germany’s next national election in 2029.
The result has also sparked concern beyond Germany. French Finance Minister Roland Lescure described the AfD’s performance as a “very, very worrying signal”, warning that Europe was confronting a broader populist challenge.
The latest demonstrations form part of a wider mobilisation against the AfD’s anti-immigration and nationalist agenda. The party has repeatedly faced protests over proposals to tighten migration rules and pursue deportations.
