Berlin, Germany – Demonstrations erupted across Germany this weekend in response to revelations that members of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party discussed plans for mass deportations. The report has further fueled calls to ban the party, with an estimated 1.4 million people taking to the streets in protest.
The surge in popularity of the AfD in recent months has alarmed many Germans, but the report appears to have served as a wake-up call for those opposing the party. Hamburg and Munich saw rallies that had to be dispersed due to the unexpectedly large turnout. Aerial images from cities across the country showed massive crowds braving the freezing January temperatures to gather in city squares and avenues. In Berlin alone, approximately 100,000 people gathered on the lawns of the Reichstag, the home of Germany’s lower house of parliament.
Protesters emphasized Germany’s unique responsibility to confront the far right, given the country’s dark history under Nazi rule and the Holocaust. Placards at the demonstrations read slogans like “Never again is now” and “Now we can see what we would have done in our grandparents’ position.”
The protests were sparked by an investigative report published in January, which unveiled a meeting between AfD members and far-right extremists in Potsdam. The report stated that the meeting involved discussions about a “remigration” plan that aimed to reverse the settlement of foreigners in Germany. Proposed by a far-right extremist leader from Austria, the plan targeted asylum seekers, non-Germans with residency rights, and “non-assimilated” German citizens. There were also discussions about potentially sending people to a “model state” in North Africa, similar to a Nazi plan from 1940 to deport Jews to Madagascar.
As Germany prepares for the upcoming European parliamentary election in less than six months, the AfD continues to maintain a strong position in national polls. With a support rate of around 22%, the AfD trails only behind the conservative opposition, the Christian Democratic Union and the Christian Social Union.
The protests have highlighted the urgency felt by many voters to ban the AfD before regional elections in the fall. In particular, the party is polling as the strongest in three eastern states: Brandenburg, Saxony, and Thuringia.
While banning the AfD would be an extreme measure, the German Interior Minister has not ruled it out as a possibility. However, there are significant legal hurdles to overcome. The country’s constitution allows for the banning of parties that seek to undermine or abolish the democratic order, but the constitutional court has granted such bans only twice before.
The revelations have also raised concerns about Germany’s image as a destination for foreign investment and skilled workers. With an aging population and a shortage of domestic skilled workers, any harm to the country’s reputation could hinder economic growth.
It remains to be seen how the German government will address the growing influence of the AfD and the calls for a ban. For now, the protests serve as a powerful statement of opposition to the far right and a call for the preservation of Germany’s democratic values.