German protests against far-right extremism show public resistance despite rising populist influence across Europe.
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Alternative für Deutschland achieved a historically good result in the German election, yet persistent demonstrations against the far-right show that most Germans do not accept political influence from right-wing extremists. In Berlin, thousands gathered to protest a neo-Nazi demonstration organized by Ferhart Zentürk, with protesters confronting hundreds of masked young neo-Nazis along the Spree River. These protests reflect deep political divides in Germany between urban and rural areas, east and west, and those fearing a return to 1930s fascism versus the far-right. Protesters expressed concern that right-wing ideologies are infiltrating mainstream German politics. Nationwide resistance against the far-right intensified after media revelations about AfD leaders meeting with neo-Nazis in Potsdam, and further escalated during the January 2025 election campaign when CDU leader Friedrich Merz made symbolic changes to asylum policy using AfD votes, prompting demonstrations across Germany. While German protesters hope to prevent a scenario similar to Austria’s rise of the FPÖ, both AfD and FPÖ’s progress indicates that right-wing populism is becoming more mainstream in European politics. In Berlin, police managed to control the situation by escorting neo-Nazis onto a train heading east, though demonstrators questioned the extent to which democracy should protect anti-democratic forces.
