Around 20,000 people protested in Erfurt, Germany, on Saturday against the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party's annual conference. The Thüringen police described the protest as "legitimate" but reported that an AfD constituency office and police officers were attacked with paint bombs and fireworks during the demonstration.
Key Details
Protesters, organized by the anti-AfD group Widersetzen, blocked roads and tram lines in the city. A spokesperson for the group stated,
We want a society based on solidarity: equal rights, equal security, the right to residence and social security for all.
Despite the protests, the AfD conference commenced as scheduled.
Background
AfD co-leaders Tino Chrupalla and Alice Weidel are expected to be re-elected during the conference, which comes ahead of local elections in Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The party has recently gained support in national opinion polls, with some surveys indicating approval ratings as high as 29%, compared to 22% for the ruling CDU/CSU coalition led by Chancellor Friedrich Merz. The AfD has positioned itself as a Eurosceptic party advocating for strict immigration controls and has criticized Germany's support for Ukraine.
Related coverage: Thousands Protest Against Germany’s AfD Party Convention.
The protests and the AfD's rising popularity could influence political stability in Germany, impacting investor sentiment in the German equity market. Investors will watch for upcoming local election results that may affect the political landscape and the AfD's potential influence on national policies.